


Deliver Me

by Clarrisani



Series: Breathe Trilogy [3]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2013-01-14
Packaged: 2017-11-25 11:50:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 38,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clarrisani/pseuds/Clarrisani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An old foe of Jack and John's has come back to seek his revenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 1) References to the audiobook "Hidden". Also contains references to the anime "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex".  
> 2) Written for TWWC #10. Yes, I know I already did this challenge, but it says we can post two and this is a sequel to former challenges so...  
> 3) This story is AU as it is set after season two, but everyone is alive and healthy - in other words, I've tweaked the events of season two to my liking. For one, the Grey storyline has been completely dumped, and some events never occurred...  
> 4) Sequel to: "Leave You" and "The Heart of Everything" and the final part of the trilogy.

John Hart seriously couldn't get over 21st Century Earth, and was more than willing to admit that he was wrong. His initial assessment of it had been cold, dark, wet and boring, but he had quickly discovered that that depended on where he went. Australia had been excellent, although he had found himself caught up in the first heavy falls in several years, but the rest of the trip there had been great.  
  
Japan had been fascinating, as had the Middle East and various parts of Europe. Mexico had been a blast, and Hawaii... well, that had been a little dull. He really couldn't see what these people saw in the place. Lounging around on a towel beside an ocean sucking on cocktails got old really quickly.  
  
But here, sitting in a casino in Las Vegas America with a girl on each arm and a huge stack of chips in front of him, he was finally content. So far the dealer had been too stupid to realise he was counting cards, but John had learnt long ago that the way to beat any sort of gambling establishment was to lose just enough to keep their suspicions away.   
  
That's how people so often were found out – they gave themselves away by having huge winning streaks and attracting attention. The real way to do it was to build it up, losing some but winning more back. Kept eyes away, and it was a talent he had perfected.  
  
He removed one arm from around one giggling girl to finish his drink, gesturing for another and tipping the waitress that served him, winning a smile. He made sure to lose the round to chase away anyone who had started to take an interest in his winning streak, then doubled his next bet and won back twice what he had lost.  
  
He glanced up as a casino floor man approached, John frowning and wondering if somehow they had worked out that he was cheating, only to have the man hold out something.  
  
"A gentleman over at the bar asked me to deliver this, Sir."  
  
John nodded his thanks, tipping the man and taking the card. He frowned as he studied the blank side, flipping it over and straightening sharply. A familiar half blade-half cross with a broken blood-red circle greeted him, causing his stomach to twist as he read the words arranged neatly below.  
  
'Atonement is coming.'


	2. Chapter 2

"No, I still don't believe it." Gwen Cooper laughed, shaking her head and brushing the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "There is no way that could have possibly happened."  
  
"Especially given that it's physically impossible," Owen Harper agreed, fighting to keep his own smile from his face. "That's pure bullshit, Harkness."  
  
"Oh come on," Jack Harkness leaned back, grinning as he looked around his team seated at the diner booth. "Is it really that hard to believe?"  
  
"It does seem slightly exaggerated," Toshiko Sato said, smile widening as Owen brushed his thumb lightly over the back of her hand.  
  
Jack shrugged, looking to the side and raising a brow. "Don't see you laughing."  
  
"Heard this story before," Ianto Jones said, sipping from his coffee. "Only John said there were 20 of you in various states of undress to begin with, and the creature was molestering you."  
  
"Yeah, well, John does tend to overspin things." Jack chuckled, looking toward Gwen. "Where's Rhys? I thought he said he was going to join us."  
  
"He got caught up at work," Gwen replied. "He sends his apologies, but will join us at the pub later on."  
  
"There's an idea." Owen straightened, grinning. "Let's go get smashed."  
  
"But we can't." Tosh looked over at Jack. "We need to be on Rift watch. It's been extremely active lately."  
  
"But it is settling down again," Jack reminded her, smiling. ”Go out and have fun. I have the monitors keyed into my wrist strap. If an alarm goes off, I'll call you."  
  
"And where are you going?" Owen asked, standing and grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair.  
  
Jack smirked. "Do you really want to know?"  
  
"Not really." Owen pulled his jacket on before helping Tosh into hers. "Just your shout tonight, Boss."  
  
"He's right." Gwen smiled sweetly at Jack. "You said that if you were wrong about that alien being harmless you'd shout us all a drink, and since the alien went around and–”  
  
Jack shot her a look, retrieving his wallet and handing Tosh the money. "Here. You're the only one I know won't short change anyone."  
  
He ignored the hurt and annoyed looks from Gwen and Owen, enjoying the amused looks on Ianto and Tosh's faces as they set down money for the meals and headed for the door, falling into idle conversation about the meal and working out which pub to head for first.  
  
"You coming with us, mate?" Owen asked, looking at Ianto.  
  
Ianto shook his head. "I've never really been a fan of the pubs and clubs. Besides, never anything remotely interesting happens on a Tuesday night."  
  
"Well, I guess I'll have to see to that then." Owen slapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Going out to a movie?" Tosh asked.  
  
"Or just heading home?" Gwen added, with a wicked look in her eye.  
  
Jack tossed them a wink, Ianto rolling his eyes as he turned his collar up against the cold air. Jack hooked an arm around Ianto’s waist, fishing the keys to the car out of Ianto's pocket. "You kids have fun."  
  
Owen smirked. "We will. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."  
  
"Short list," Jack muttered under his breath, causing Ianto to snigger.  
  
They watched as the other three wandered off and climbed into Tosh's car, Jack and Ianto waving as the group drove off. They turned, heading over toward Ianto's car as a cold wind came up off the Bay and threaded it's way through Cardiff's streets, Jack bringing his arm up from Ianto's waist and around his shoulders, tugging him closer as the younger man shivered.  
  
"Thank you for tonight," Ianto said.  
  
"You all deserved some time out," Jack said, smiling at him. "We've all been working so hard lately."  
  
"Tosh more than the rest of us," Ianto said with a smile. "Owen's been complaining that she's always too tired when they get home."  
  
Jack chuckled. "Think we should tell him it's all an act because Tosh is still pissed off at him for forgetting her birthday?"  
  
Ianto smirked. "I think he deserves to suffer a little longer."  
  
Jack pressed a kiss to Ianto's cheek as they reached Ianto's car, Jack relinquishing his hold so they could step around to the doors, Jack keying open the keyless entry. Jack grinned at Ianto over the top of the car. "See, I didn't forget _your_ birthday."  
  
"Rather hard to, Sir, considering all the post it reminder notes Gwen left around."  
  
"True." Jack climbed into the driver’s seat, glancing at Ianto as the other man joined him. "I did remember, though. I don't forget important things like that."  
  
Ianto shot him a knowing look. "You can quit buttering me up, Jack. You already know you're getting some tonight."  
  
"It's not always just about the sex, Ianto." Jack half turned, cupping Ianto's face in his hand and trailing his thumb gently over Ianto's cheek. "I do it because I love you."  
  
Ianto smiled tightly, nodding and looking out the windscreen. "So, we going straight home or do you have something else in mind?"  
  
"If I recall there was a movie you said you wanted to see." Jack slipped the key into the ignition, reaching for his seatbelt. "Why don't we go..."  
  
Ianto frowned, looking at him quickly. "Jack?"  
  
Jack leaned forward, carefully plucking the card from the dashboard and turning it over. The half blade-half cross with a broken blood-red circle was vivid against the stark white of the card, the words below causing Jack to pale: "Atonement is here."  
  
"Jack?" Ianto leaned across, gazing at the card. "Who's it from? Atonement from what?"  
  
Jack didn't answer, his eyes darting around as he slipped the card into his pocket. Ianto opened his mouth to speak again, Jack silencing him by holding up a finger. "Do you hear that?"  
  
Ianto frowned, head cocking slightly as he listened. Their breathing echoed in the interior of the car, the wind blowing against the outside and causing it to rock slightly. The faint sound of traffic from the nearby main roads slipped into the interior, just underlining the almost muffled ticking.  
  
"Where's it coming from?" Ianto asked, eyes darting around.  
  
Jack abruptly reached for the ignition, fingers exploring the area below and glancing at Ianto sharply. He pulled his hand back, showing Ianto the stray wire. Ianto stared at it, following it with his gaze before yanking open the glove box, both men swearing as they spotted the red digits of the countdown.  
  
"Get out of the car," Jack breathed, hand scrabbling for the door handle. "Get out of the car!"  
  
Ianto tugged at his own door handle, eyes never leaving the countdown as he opened the door. Both men swore loudly as the countdown abruptly dropped down to 5 seconds, Jack throwing open his own door and diving out. They took off at a fast run, putting as much distance between themselves and the car before the night lit up.  
  
The shockwave threw them to the ground, bits of shrapnel hitting the ground around them and bouncing off the asphalt. As the fireball died down they carefully picked themself up, Jack staggering to his feet and staring at the blazing wreckage. Beside him Ianto sat, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. He looked up, staring at the other man.  
  
"Atonement for what?" He asked again. "Jack?"  
  
Jack didn't answer, shaking his head. "This can't be happening."  
  
"Jack!" Ianto pushed himself up off the ground, grabbing Jack by the front of the shirt and planting himself before the other man. "Jack, who did this? Who tried to kill us? You know, I can tell." Jack didn't reply, simply staring at the wreckage. Ianto grabbed his shirt it a two handed grip, jerking Jack around to face him. "Jack, tell me."  
  
Car lights flashed up over them, causing them to look around and shield their eyes. The car banked sharply, coming to a halt beside them. Ianto's eyes widened as he took in the Bentley, the window winding down as Jack frowned, the two men lowering their hands.  
  
John leaned out the window, glancing quickly at the still fiercely burning wreckage before looking back up at them. "Need a lift?"  
  
***  
  
"I thought he had a life sentence!"  
  
"He did." John followed Jack into Ianto's home, Ianto entering in the rear and closing and locking the door behind them. John glanced at him quickly before turned back to the pacing Jack. "When word got out that the Agency was shutting down some of the criminals that were put away starting asking for their cases to be reviewed, so I guess he was one of them."  
  
"He had no appeals left," Jack said, spinning to look at John. "Did you know about this?"  
  
John shook his hand. "I never thought any of ours would get out. We only ever went after the solid cases."  
  
The sound of a clearing throat cut Jack off before he could reply, both men turning to look at Ianto. Ianto raised a brow, gesturing from one to the other. "Someone care to fill me in here?"  
  
"Sorry, Ianto." Jack sighed, nodding. "The card was left by a man named Roberto Bellic-"  
  
"We call him Fred," John cut in.  
  
Jack shot him a glare. "–and he's originally from the 47th Century. He's a terrorist in all meanings of the word, just killing for the sheer joy of it. There's nothing behind what he does except his sheer joy of watching fear and death."  
  
"He's a real nut job," John said, shifting to perch himself on the edge of the table. "And a smart one at that. Guy's a genius. A technological genius." He scowled. "God I hate them."  
  
"How much of a genius?" Ianto asked.  
  
"He could have revolutionised the universe," Jack said, pausing in his pacing and sighing, shaking his head. "He used to work for this prosthetics company, but they never gave him the funding he needed. The company cut every corner they could find to keep costs down."  
  
"Sounds familiar," Ianto said, smiling faintly. "How did he end up going bad?"  
  
"Company cut too many corners," John said, crossing his arms over his chest. "There was an explosion, and Bellic was caught in the blast. Almost killed him, only he survived and ended up being 70% prosthetic."  
  
"We're talking advanced prosthetics here," Jack clarified. "Your Star Wars kind of thing."  
  
Ianto nodded in understanding. "Entirely mechanical but disguised to look like flesh."  
  
"You got it," John said. "That's the thing about that time period – they knew their stuff." He shot a look at Jack. "By our time they'd found ways to grow and graft new limbs with a 100% success rate of there not being any rejections."  
  
"It took that long?" Ianto asked, frowning.  
  
"Genetics are complicated," Jack said, shifting his weight. "Besides, science and medicine was stunted for a long time because the pharmaceutical companies and governments weren't too keen on losing their income from medicines. Took a lot of black market dealings before they gave up and just went with stem cell research."  
  
"People still protest it," John said, rolling his eyes. "Some things never change."  
  
Ianto nodded, resting back against the counter. "So this Roberto Bellic was injured in an explosion and ended up being mostly prosthetic. That still doesn't explain why he became a terrorist."  
  
"The company fired him," John said, shrugging. "They decided that their chief scientist being prosthetic created a bias they didn't want in their company."  
  
Ianto blinked. "But... wouldn't that have made him more valuable to them since he had first hand knowledge of what was needed?"  
  
"Unfair dismissal and prejudice exists right through the ages,” Jack said, shaking his head and frowning. "Bellic didn't leave empty handed. They compensated him, but they didn't give him much. At least not enough to pay for his medical costs."  
  
"Let me guess," Ianto said, glancing from one to the other. "Being a technical genius he hacked into their system and extorted large amounts of money from them."  
  
"You got it," Jack said. "Took almost everything they had and ran."  
  
"Not to mention he stole the boss' transport," John said with a smile. "That alone was almost worth more than the company."  
  
"So extortion and grand theft auto," Ianto said. "Doesn't make him a terrorist."  
  
"He blew up the company," Jack said. "Killed thousands."  
  
"And that was just the start." John shifted. "He kept killing. He used his technical prowess to create new weapons and tested them on whoever he found. Half his prosthetic body is made up hidden weapons. Brilliant and armed, which makes him dangerous."  
  
Jack looked at him. "He was the most dangerous criminal we ever hunted. Took us forever just to locate him, made worse by the fact he could manipulate time."  
  
"He's the reason we ended up stuck in that time loop," John said, shooting Jack a glare. "God that was hell."  
  
"Stop complaining," Jack said, returning the glare. "It wouldn't have been so bad if you weren't a whining bastard."  
  
"It would also have been a lot easier if you hadn't tried to dictate everything," John shot back. "You always expected everything to be your way, and god forbid if something went wrong."  
  
Ianto cleared his throat, cutting off Jack's reply. They two other men looked at him, Ianto looking between them impassively. "Back to Bellic."  
  
Jack and John shot each other one last glare before Jack hooked his thumbs into his belt, looking at Ianto. "We had to chase him across a couple of centuries before we cornered him on a space station above Praxus Five. His self built time machine ran out of battery life and he had no means to recharge."  
  
John's eyebrows rose slightly. "Excuse me; I think you mean _I_ cornered him on a space station above Praxus Five."  
  
"Technicalities," Jack said, shrugging it off. "I was there."  
  
"Yeah, in the process of dying from that poison he shot into you."  
  
Ianto blinked. "Dying?"  
  
"I wasn't always immortal," Jack said softly.  
  
"Bellic shot him with a poisoned dart," John said, a serious look threading over his face as he watched Jack. "A slow acting poison with paralysing properties. It took almost a week before we realised exactly what was going on and identified it in Jack's blood stream. By the time we got to Praxus Five Jack had slipped into a coma.   
  
"I managed to get the antidote out of Bellic on the agreement I left him alive." John frowned. "Jack was in coma for three weeks, by which time I had been assigned a new partner. Next thing I knew Jack had quit the agency and gone rogue. Didn't see him again until I came here."  
  
Ianto frowned, looking at Jack. "I thought you said you quit because they wiped your memories."  
  
"They did, while I was in hospital." Jack shrugged. "I just woke up one morning during recovery and two years were gone. Still yet to learn what I did."  
  
"Agency wiped the records," John said, noting Jack's sharp look. "What? You thought I wouldn't look?"  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes, then sighed and ran a hand over his eyes. "So Bellic's back, on Earth, and out for revenge. And he blames us for what happened."  
  
"He would have gotten away with it if it weren't for us," John pointed out. "And how convenient for him that we're both on the same planet in the same time period."  
  
"We're not Time Agents anymore," Jack reminded him.  
  
"Think that matters?" John shook his head. "There's a reason there's only seven of us left, Jack. We're being killed off."  
  
Ianto looked at him sharply. "By who?"  
  
"The ones they let out." John shook his head. "Most of the main criminals died in the Time War. Time travel was blamed for what happened, so some of the surviving races put an end to it. The Time Lords were wiped out, so there was no one to keep watch over everything and maintain order, meaning that there was no need for the Time Agency.   
  
"They shut us down, meaning that we no longer have protection from the beings out there that want us dead." He scowled. "And now they're letting them out of prison and they're hunting us down."  
  
Ianto stared at him. "You mean there are more beings out there that would want you dead?"  
  
"So far Bellic's the only one."  
  
"Ironically, he's also the most dangerous." Jack frowned, a thousand thoughts running through his mind, the inner conflict reflecting in his eyes. "No capturing him this time. This time he's got to die."  
  
"Fine by me," John said, straightening. "I hate that bastard. Especially after what he did to you."  
  
Jack looked at him, locking eyes with John. Ianto glanced from one to the other, noting the silent communication. He pushed himself up, smoothing his shirt and raising a brow. "So then, I guess we start hunting him."  
  
Two pairs of eyes swung toward him, Jack's "no way" coming at the same time as John's "hell no."  
  
"You're staying right out of this, Eye Candy," John said, standing.  
  
"We don't want you involved," Jack agreed.  
  
"And why not?" Ianto looked from one to the other. "You both know I'm capable of helping you. What John didn't teach me Jack did. I've hunted all sorts of things this past year and longer, some of them on my own. I can help you."  
  
"Ianto, we'd both feel a lot better if you stay right out of this," Jack said. "Bellic is more dangerous than anything we've ever faced before. _We_ can barely handle him."  
  
"More the reason for me to help," Ianto pointed out. "Three is better than two."  
  
"Normally I'd agree," John said, shifting to join him. "Not this time." He reached up, cupping Ianto's face in his hands and locking eyes with him. "You need to get out of town. I have a little place just outside of Cardiff, and I want you to go there. We'll call when it's over."  
  
"You are not sending me away," Ianto hissed. "I've told you before, John, that you do not tell me what to do."  
  
"Just _listen_ to me." John set his jaw. "You are not getting involved, Ianto. This is our fight, not yours. We've faced him before and we know what to expect."  
  
"Then explain it to me."  
  
"Bellic will _kill_ you," John hissed. "You're not involved, and I intend for it to stay that way."  
  
"Listen to him, Ianto," Jack said, coming up beside them and pressing a hand onto the small of Ianto's back. "This is between myself, John and Bellic. I want you and the rest of the team to stay right out of this."  
  
"Don't see you sending them away," Ianto said.  
  
"Right now they don't know what's going on," Jack pointed out. "If things go to plan they won't work it out until it's all over."  
  
Ianto glared at him. "And if Bellic finds a way into the Hub? You'll have to explain it to them then."  
  
"So I'll twist the truth and they'll never know the full extent of the situation. Not like I haven't done it before." Jack set his jaw, meeting and holding Ianto's eye. "Please, Ianto. The less people involved, the easier it will be for us. Go to John's place and wait. We'll tell the team you're investigating sightings out there."  
  
"There's an idea." John's eyes lit up. "You should tell the rest of your little team that. Get them all out of town."  
  
"I think I will." Jack gave Ianto a pointed look. "Which will mean that _everyone_ will have to go."  
  
"Bastard," Ianto hissed, eyes flashing as he glared at them, taking a step back and away from their touch. "Fine, I'll go. You don't give me much choice."  
  
"We're not doing it because you're not capable, Ianto," John said, a slightly sympathetic expression on his face. "If we have to Jack and I will take this off planet, and frankly you're not ready for that yet. You're better here."  
  
"Keep the others safe," Jack said, eyes following Ianto as he stalked into the bedroom, Jack frowning as he noted the Ianto's posture – the younger man was furious, and Jack knew that was never a good thing. "If Bellic does go after you, you'll be able to protect them."  
  
" _Not_ that we'll let him go after you," John said quickly, shooting Jack a questioning glare as they followed Ianto into the bedroom, watching him grab a bag and pack some clothes and weapons into it. "He doesn't know about you, and that's how it's going to say."  
  
"Need I remind you that Bellic blew up my car," Ianto didn't look at them as he zipped up his bag and pulled on a coat, then reached for his handgun and checked the magazine. "Which means he's been watching us long enough to know where Jack works and how he gets home, so I think we can assume he knows about me."  
  
Jack and John tossed each other quick looks, only to step back as Ianto brushed past them. Ianto stopped, turning and glaring at John.  
  
"I'm taking the Bentley."  
  
John didn't protest, reaching into his pocket and scooping out the keys. He tossed them toward Ianto. "Address for the place is in the glove department."  
  
Ianto nodded, turning and disappearing out into the hall without so much as a goodbye. They listened as the door slammed, Jack letting out a long breath and rubbing his eyes. John's eyebrows rose as he shook his head, hooking his thumbs into his belt.  
  
"Easy to forget he's got quite the temper when he gets going. Certainly feisty, that one." He looked at Jack. "You okay?"  
  
"I don't like this." Jack moved to the front of the home, pulling back the curtain to watch as the Bentley pulled out; tyres spinning on the bitumen before they found traction and the vehicle sped away, disappearing around the corner. He let the curtain fall back. "Ianto will stay out of it, but he'll still keep tabs on us. First sign something's wrong..."  
  
"Efficient, I'll give him that." John gazed around, frowning. "This his place?"  
  
Jack nodded, looking at him. "We both live here now."  
  
"You never were one to putting up personal things. It's like you don't exist. Oh hello..." John picked up a photo, whistling low as he gazed at it. "Who's this?"  
  
Jack set his jaw. "Lisa."  
  
John froze, gingerly setting it back down. "Oh. He told me about her." He frowned. "She's beautiful. Such a waste."  
  
Jack watched him through narrowed eyes, contemplating him for a moment before raising his chin slightly. "So... we going to plan this out or what?"  
  
"No other alternative, especially since we know the 'guns blazing' strategy doesn't work on this bastard." John turned toward him, face serious. He gazed at Jack, seeming to take in his expression. "Ianto will be fine."  
  
Jack nodded. "I know."  
  
"Good." John clapped his hands together. "Well then. Suggestions?"  
  
***  
  
His fingers held the wheel in a white knuckled grip as he glared at the road ahead. He tossed the occasional glance at the piece of paper sitting on the passenger seat, the address printed in neat yet ever so slightly jagged writing, along with the words 'Here's the address, Eye Candy – keep your head down and stay there for once. We'll be fine'.  
  
John had known before he had even picked them up from the Bay that Ianto would be sent away from the battle. Ianto gritted his teeth, silently cursing the younger of the Time Agents. For all his flare and seeming recklessness, John always did plan ahead. He would have one or two little tricks up his sleeve, and would use them when the time was right. In this case the plan had been to get Ianto out of Cardiff, and he had succeeded easily.  
  
At least he wasn't unarmed. Aside from the few weapons he had tossed into his bag, John usually kept an arsenal tucked into the boot of his car. Ianto had teased John about watching too much _Supernatural_ when John had first shown off his little hidden addition, only to receive a blank stare in return. The next time things had been quiet with no aliens around and the Plasmavore in hiding, Ianto had introduced John to the show and John had been hooked. It had taken a lot of convincing to stop John from buying an Impala.  
  
That had been one of the lighter moments during their time together. It had been rough going at first, but John had slowly won Ianto's trust. At the same time, it was moments like this that reminded Ianto exactly why he shouldn't trust John completely.  
  
Pulling off the highway, Ianto followed the directions up the narrowing roads until he turned into the driveway of the address John had provided. He gazed out of the windscreen, frowning as he turned the corner and got his first look at the homestead. He rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.  
  
"Who's pretentious?"  
  
The only way to really sum it up was that it was a stone mansion, complete with fancy brickwork and balconies. He couldn't really tell how old the property was, but no doubt John had purchased it since Ianto had last seen him. He noted the various sheds scattered around, but decided against parking the Bentley inside one, instead pulling it up directly outside the main entrance.  
  
Scooping up the keys to the mansion, Ianto switched off the Bentley and swung out of the car, a plan already beginning to formulate in his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack sighed as he watched the car pull out, noting Owen still glaring at him through the back window. It had taken some convincing, but the team were heading for Ianto's location. Jack had managed to spin them a report about unknown alien activity and needing more detailed evidence so they knew what they were dealing with.  
  
He had a feeling Gwen still wasn't completely convinced, and no doubt that Owen wasn't. Tosh had wanted to stay back with him to keep an eye on the monitors, but he had reminded her that they needed someone to analyse the readings. Owen was convinced Ianto would be enough to cover it, but Jack had talked him into going by reminding him that if someone got hurt...  
  
Jack had told them that he was keeping the SUV at the Hub and they had to find their own mode of transport, which had annoyed them further. In the end Rhys had offered to act as driver. Jack had a feeling Rhys just wanted to see what they did, and Jack had reassured Gwen that this mission was fine for Rhys to go along.  
  
"Thought they'd never leave."  
  
Jack sighed, turning back and glaring at John before heading back toward the Tourist Information Centre entrance. "I don't like this."  
  
"Don't like what?"  
  
Jack gestured behind him. "Lying to my team."  
  
John studied him, a smirk crossing his lips as he chuckled. "Dear me. Jack Harkness has gone and gotten himself a conscience."  
  
Jack shot him a look. "What?"  
  
"There was a time that lying through your teeth was second nature. You wouldn't even bat an eyelash."  
  
"Yeah, well things change." Jack walked inside, frowning to himself as he cast one more quick look outside before closing the door behind him and John. "I got a job as a leader. I only ever lie to the other organisations, not my team. I need their trust and respect."  
  
"Right." John nodded, a thin smile on his lips. "You've done well there. One tried to read your thoughts, one is stalking you, one hid a cyber in the basement, and one shot you in the head. Oh, and did I mention they all turned against you?"  
  
"I really need to talk to Ianto about telling you things," Jack growled.  
  
"What? I told him things about me." John shrugged it off, following Jack into the Hub. "Give a little, take a little. Wouldn't surprise me if I've told him more about me than you have about yourself."  
  
"Ianto and I tell each other things all the time now." Jack shot him a quick look as he swung himself up the steps onto the main floor, making his way to Gwen's computer. "One of the things we did wrong last time was to keep things to ourselves."  
  
"Does he know where you were born?"  
  
"Does now." Jack shrugged, keying on the system. "He knows where I grew up, about the academy, and exactly what the Time Agency is. I haven't told the others, just him."  
  
John leaned back against the desk, watching as Jack opened a search system. "And what's he told you about him?"  
  
"He told me about his family, where he grew up, how he ended up working for Torchwood." Jack shook his head, thinking before typing in a search command.  
  
John frowned. "Do you honestly think Bellic would even consider purchasing parts from this century?"  
  
"We said that when we tracked him through the 11th Century and realised he was buying up parts to melt down." Jack reminded him. "At least it’s a little easier to track purchases now."  
  
"Still, got to be an easier way."  
  
"Which is why I started another search this morning." Jack ducked into his office, returning and handing John a folder. "From the CCTV cameras just down from where we parked."  
  
"Not the ones in the actual car park," John observed, flipping open the folder and gazing at the grainy stills.  
  
"He jammed the signal on those cameras. Nothing but static. This camera was just outside the field."  
  
John flipped through the images, taking in the hooded man breaking into the car with relative ease, taking his time before closing and locking it up again. The last few stills showed him casually walking away. John frowned, flipping them again and sighing. "So I guess we can assume he's got an attachment for 21st Century car locks."  
  
"What hasn't he got an attachment for." Jack pointed to the pictures. "Those are the only shots of him. He took out all the other cameras."  
  
"Bastard covered up so no facial recognition." John sighed, dropping the folder onto the desk. "Definitely him though."  
  
"Without a doubt. He's still got the limp. Here we go." Jack tapped the screen. "Large purchase of computer parts and circuits from a local distributor paid for in cash, no doubt trying to avoid the online databases. Only reason there's any record is because the distributor computerises all sales."  
  
"Name?" John asked, leaning in to look at the screen.  
  
"None given." Jack shot him a look. "There's a delivery address though."  
  
"Well then." John slapped him on the shoulder, then turned and headed for the day. "Let's go check it out."  
  
***  
  
"I still can't believe Jack just sent us off like that," Gwen said, shaking her head as she gazed out the passenger window. "Random alien sightings and odd lights, and he doesn't even let us take the SUV."  
  
"There has been a lot of Weevil sightings," Tosh reminded her. "Jack would need the SUV for hunting them."  
  
"But if it was about the Weevils, Ianto would have stayed with him."  
  
"See, now that's what's bothering me." Owen glanced up from his PSP to shoot them all a quick look. "Why send Ianto ahead in the first place if we're all going. I reckon Jack wants us out of Cardiff."  
  
"Nothing big going on in Cardiff is there?" Rhys asked, looking at him the rear view mirror. "Been no odd deaths save for those maulings those Weevils did. No weird lights or ghosts at the Castle. Been nothing I can think of."  
  
"It’s been very quiet," Tosh agreed, glancing down at her computer. "Save for some Rift activity, nothing out of the ordinary in over three weeks."  
  
"Which, to me, means everything’s about to go to shit," Owen said.  
  
"Oh don't be such a pessimist," Gwen said, glancing quickly at the GPS. "Should be the next turn on the left."  
  
Rhys easily found the address, turning them onto the driveway and along the gravel lane, each taking in the mansion. Owen's eyes instantly went elsewhere as he swore, spotting the car parked out the front in plain view, anger sweeping through him as it dawned on him just what it was.  
  
"That's a Bentley," he growled.  
  
Gwen turned to look back at him. "What?"  
  
"That's a fucking Bentley." Owen threw open the door as Rhys drew the car to a stop, Owen stepping quickly over to the door of the mansion and throwing it open. "Ianto!"  
  
Rhys looked at Gwen and Tosh as they all exited the car. "What's so special about a Bentley?"  
  
"It's owned by Captain John Hart," Tosh replied, faint anger in her voice as it slowly dawned on her that Owen might be right about this 'mission'.  
  
"Jack's ex?" Rhys asked,  
  
"And Ianto's," Gwen confirmed, moving to follow Owen inside. "If you could say they were going out."  
  
"Not sure you could say Jack was going out with John either," Tosh said.  
  
"I'm not even going to bother askin'," Rhys said, shaking his head. "It's way too confusing."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
They joined Gwen and Owen inside, the medic roaming the lower rooms still calling out of their colleague, a faint look of anger spreading across his face. Gwen took in the decor, Tosh instantly focusing on the security systems while Rhys was just astounded by the sheer size of the place.  
  
"It's almost like it's bigger on the inside," Rhys commented.  
  
"Where the hell is he?" Owen joined them, a scowl etched into his features as his eyes continued to dart around.  
  
"So, I guess he sent you after all." They spun, searching out the voice. "Up here." They glanced upward, spotting Ianto perched near the top of the staircase watching them. His impassive mask was in place, but they could see just from the way he held himself and the tightness to his eyes that he was not happy.  
  
Owen pointed toward the door. "There's a Bentley out there."  
  
"Really? I hadn't noticed."  
  
"Stop messing about, Ianto." Owen glared at him. "Where's Hart?"  
  
He set his jaw. "Cardiff."  
  
"With Jack?" Gwen asked, eyes narrowing.  
  
Ianto nodded, pushing himself up and moving down the stairs. "It would seem an old foe of theirs was released from prison and has shown up with every intention of killing them."  
  
"Great, just what we need," Owen muttered. "Another nutter from the future."  
  
"So what?" Gwen frowned. "Jack sent us here to keep us out of the way while he and John got rid of this 'old foe'?"  
  
"Basically." Ianto moved past them, heading for the kitchen. "After all, we'd only get in the way. We're not trained to fight aliens and or the like, after all. No experience whatsoever."  
  
Their anger diminished slightly as they registered Ianto's tone, instantly realising just how pissed off he was. Rhys frowned, backing right off and allowing the others to move in ahead of him, the group finding Ianto pouring out five mugs of coffee.  
  
"So you're not here by choice either then," Tosh said cautiously.  
  
Ianto shot her a look, Tosh swallowing as she realised that that was a 'no'. Jack really should know better than to piss off Ianto by now.  
  
"I'm taking it there's no alien threat," Owen said.  
  
"Jack and John came up with that little plan to get you out of Cardiff last night," Ianto said, handing out the mugs. He sighed, shaking his head and visibly pushing his anger aside. "Let me explain. It may take a while and I'm certain I don't have all the facts."  
  
"Just tell us what you know," Gwen said, sitting at the table. "Then we'll decide what to do."


	4. Chapter 4

Jack carefully eased the door open, glancing inside and checking it was all clear. Seeing no sort of threat, he pushed it open enough to slip through, John following and easing the door closed behind them. They exchanged a quick look, pulling their guns free and flicking off the safeties.  
  
John made a quick movement with his hand, indicating Jack should take the left while he took the right, Jack nodding an acknowledgment to the plan. They moved into position, slowly making their way forward and scanning each room as they moved past the doors, finding each one as empty as the office building appeared.  
  
Coming to the last door of the hall John slipped over the Jack's side of the hall, the two sharing a quick look before easing their way around the corner, guns raised as they scanned the semi-darkness. They frowned as they found the room almost as empty as the others save for a small stool in the middle, a metal cube resting on top.  
  
They lowered their guns, stepping into the room and staring at the cube, Jack's eyes narrowing. "Communication device."  
  
"Mm-hm. Seems we've been left a message." John swore, shaking his head and holstering his weapon. "Why is it we're always one step behind this guy?"  
  
"Simply because I am always one step ahead. It's only fair."  
  
They spun back around to face the cube, a holographic image now hovering above it. Bellic's electronic eye glowed a faint LED blue over the comm, his smooth features masking just how much of him was prosthetic, but the visible sign of aging on one side of his face gave an indication of his age.  
  
"We meet again, Captains." Bellic said, rich accent thick in his voice, masking the faint electronic sound that they knew crept in when he was angry, which he currently was not. "Been a long time. I see time has been as kind to you as it has to me."  
  
"Is that sarcasm, Fred?" John asked, glaring at the image. "Because really, you should seriously consider a touch up job for the right side of your face. The wrinkles throw the symmetry right off."  
  
"Always one for jokes, Captain Hart." Bellic paused. "Both with the initials JH, I noticed. I assume that's no accident."  
  
"Pure coincidence," Jack said. "And I'll have you know my name is permanent these days."  
  
"Until you become bored with the planet," Bellic said. "I've been watching you for a while, Captain Harkness. Playing the action hero now, I hear. Head of your own little ghost busting squad, or would Scooby Doo gang be more appropriate?"  
  
John snorted. "The Scooby’s. I like that.'  
  
"Shut up," Jack hissed.  
  
"Certainly gone and cleaned yourself up, haven't you," Bellic continued. "No drugs, no drinking, no murder. Been a while since you pulled a con. I heard about what happened to you with the Time Agency. I did warn you that they weren't to be trusted." He raised a brow. "Then you met a Time Lord."  
  
Jack looked at John. "Seriously, does everyone know about that?"  
  
"Basically, yeah," John admitted. "Word gets around. That was how I hunted your down. This being the Doctor's favourite planet and all that, I figured it'd be the first place to look."  
  
"And you, Captain Hart." Bellic sniggered. "Still following Harkness' coattails like a little lost puppy wanting attention from his master."  
  
"Hey," John protested, glaring at Jack as the other man sniggered. "I don't follow anyone’s coattails."  
  
"Still trapped in the past, Hart," Bellic said, a smirk on his lips. "Still trying to relive the 'good ole days'. I guess hunting me will bring that back. After all, you're working with Harkness again."  
  
"Just remember who caught you," John said. "I could have killed you, you know, only I needed you alive."  
  
"How'd you get out of prison?" Jack cut in, eyeing the hologram.  
  
"Easily, Harkness," Bellic shrugged. "That little antidote I gave Hart to save your life? I had it twisted to look like an exchanging of goods, better known as a bribe, and they let me out on the technicality."  
  
"You have got to be kidding me." John pointed at Jack. "He'd be dead if it wasn't for that."  
  
"Still, looked bad enough for them to let me out." Bellic shrugged it off. "And with Harkness' track record as a con man and your own multiple visits to rehab, they took it."  
  
"Did they even read your file?" Jack asked.  
  
"Don't know, don't care." Bellic made an open gesture, spreading his arms palm outward as he smiled. "So here I am. On Earth. So convenient for you both to be here at the same time."  
  
"You do realise the Agency is gone," John said. "We were only following their orders when we went after you."  
  
"I realise, and I know." He shrugged. "Thing is, you got in my way. I've been rotting in that place for almost a decade. Those are years I can't get back, so it's only fair I destroy your life like you did mine."  
  
"Oh sweet goddess, don't start one of your 'I will destroy you and rule the universe' speeches," John groaned.  
  
Jack smirked.  
  
Bellic glared at him, narrowing his eyes. "Fine then. I'll skip straight to the destroying part."  
  
The holo flickered out, John and Jack exchanging a slightly confused frown. They glanced back as on the communication device a little light began to flash, Jack and John not bothering to inspect it as they spun on their heel and bolted for the exit, just making it out the door before the office building erupted into a fireball behind them, knocking them off their feet.  
  
"I forgot how much he likes his explosions," Jack said, picking himself up and brushing off his coat.  
  
"Still, prefer them to his monologues." John shot a glare back at the office building, then turned to Jack as he pushed himself to his feet. "So what's the plan now? Assuming, of course, you have a plan."  
  
"Always do." Jack raised a brow. "Track back the CCTV cameras that went out to their source."  
  
John frowned, then shrugged. "It'll do for now."  
  
***  
  
"Oh bloody hell." Owen leaned back, rubbing a hand over his eyes and shaking his head. "No wonder you're pissed at him, mate."  
  
"I would be if I were you," Rhys agreed.  
  
"I think we can all agree," Gwen said, sighing as she leaned back in her seat. "You were insured? Your car, I mean."  
  
"I learnt in London that if you work for Torchwood that's the first thing you do," Ianto told her, resting his chin in his hand as picked at a speck on the tabletop. "I'm not that worried. It's not the first time I've lost a car doing this job, after all."  
  
Tosh, Owen and Gwen exchanged quick looks, not really wanting to talk about the incident a couple of years ago that had almost cost Ianto his life after he had been run off the road and over a cliff. Rhys spotted the look but said nothing, instead leaning forward.  
  
"Can't you just go back to Cardiff? There's nothing to stop you, is there?"  
  
Tosh shook her head. "Jack's our boss. We can't exactly go against his orders."  
  
"Sure we can," Owen said. "He doesn't have to know about it. Wouldn't be the first time."  
  
"Remember what happened last time," Tosh said softly.  
  
"I'm sure it won't go that far," Gwen said, frowning to herself.  
  
"I've already patched into the mainframe," Ianto said, gesturing upward. "John's got an impressive computer setup up there hidden away. I should be able to keep an eye on them from there."  
  
"This is John's place?" Gwen asked.  
  
Ianto nodded. "No doubt he wanted somewhere to keep an eye on Jack without being close enough for Jack to notice."  
  
"So he bought a mansion."  
  
Ianto raised a brow. "This is John we're talking about."  
  
"You know him better than we do, mate." Owen sighed, leaning back in his seat. "So what's our plan? Hang around this joint or storm back in and demand some action?"  
  
"I like Ianto's idea to monitor them," Tosh said.  
  
"Sound safer if you ask me," Rhys added. "Give you a chance to know what you're dealing with."  
  
"It would," Gwen said softly. She looked at Ianto. "Ianto?"  
  
He glanced at her, then at the others before finally straightening. "Going back into Cardiff is probably the last thing Jack needs us to do right now. I have a feeling he doesn't know quite what they're dealing with."  
  
"I say we stay," Owen agreed. "Then save their arse when they get in over their head."  
  
Gwen turned to Ianto. "Where's this monitoring room you mentioned?"  
  
Ianto looked at her for a moment before swinging himself up out of his chair, the others quickly moving to follow him. He led them up the stairs and along a corridor, pausing beside a door and opening it, stepping inside. Rhys whistled low as he took in the technology, Tosh immediately stepping across the main computer and dropping into the chair, fingers flying across the keyboard.  
  
"Jack found some CCTV footage of what happened to the car," Tosh said, calling it up onto another screen and continuing to search. "Also, the address of an old office building."  
  
"Any CCTV of that?" Gwen asked as the others studied the footage from by the Bay.  
  
"Hang on." There was a long pause as Tosh worked, a small frown causing her forehead to crease slightly. "Here we go. It was just static for a period, but its cleared up for the last couple of hours. I'll just bring it up."  
  
They crowded around as she opened it, hitting the fast forward button as nothing happened for a period, only to stop it as the SUV pulled up. They shifted closer, watching as Jack and John drew their weapons and entered the building. After a little while they came running out again, the building exploding behind them.  
  
"Bloody hell," Owen breathed as they watched the two men pick themselves up. "What, this guy got an explosion fetish or something?"  
  
"Can you have a fetish for explosions?" Tosh asked.  
  
"This guy apparently does," Owen looked down at her. "Jack been up to anything else?"  
  
"I'll see." Her fingers began their dance across the keyboard again, shaking her head after a moment. "Nothing. At least not at the Hub." She hit a few more keys. "There has been access to the SUV computers though. It would seem they're tracking back the static of the CCTV cameras."  
  
"Why would they do that?" Gwen asked.  
  
"Bellic's a technological genius," Ianto said. "He might have some way to interfere with the footage. Turn it into static."  
  
"Like the bloody Laughing Man," Owen muttered. He saw the looks they gave him and waved them off. "Pop culture reference. Japanese anime. Don't worry about it."  
  
"Tosh, can we track it too?" Gwen asked.  
  
"I'll try." Tosh glanced at the computers, frowning. "The SUV systems will be faster than this, and Jack has a head start."  
  
"Just see what you can do." Gwen gave her a small smile before turning to the others. "I guess the rest of us will just have to find something else to do."  
  
"Brilliant," Owen muttered. "Just what I like. Waiting."


	5. Chapter 5

"Left turn here," John said, glancing at the screen in front of him, then up at the road ahead. "Down that alleyway thingy."  
  
"Looks more like a driveway," Jack said, navigating the SUV around the corner and frowning. "This gets any narrower and we'll have to walk."  
  
John looked at him. "How are we supposed to track him without the equipment? He doesn't exactly register on our wrist-straps remember. He found a way to block his presence years ago."  
  
"This is Torchwood. We're always prepared." Jack reached into his coat pocket, pulling out his PDA and tossing it onto John's lap. "Link this up to the tracking program."  
  
"You always did like your toys," John said, shooting him a quick glare and picking up the PDA, doing what Jack asked. "Have you even thought about how we're going to get this bastard? We're not exactly working with technology the same level as his here."  
  
"Thought you were the expert on Bellic," Jack said, glancing at him quickly.  
  
"Oh don't start that." John glared at him out the corner of his eye. "Only reason I caught him on my own is because of what happened to you. And if I recall you were the one who worked out where he went in the end."  
  
"Barely." Jack shook his head and sighed, glancing ahead. "You would have worked it out. Okay, so which way now?"  
  
John glanced at the equipment. "Right turn just a little down the way here."  
  
Jack frowned, then slowed the SUV. "We're walking."  
  
John glanced up. "Why? Get too narrow? Told you this thing was too big. Overcompensating much?"  
  
"Shut up." Jack rolled his eyes. "It's a doorway into a building if you bothered to look."  
  
John looked up sharply, spotting the doorway for the first time as Jack brought the SUV to a halt. "Oh."  
  
"What's going on, John?" Jack asked with a smirk, switching off the SUV and opening his door. "Losing some of your sharpness in your old age?"  
  
"Who you calling old," John said, climbing out and shooting Jack a glare as Jack locked the SUV and they headed into the building. "I'm still only in double figures."  
  
"Touché." Jack chuckled, testing the door and finding it to be unlocked. He smiled, pushing it open and gesturing for John to go ahead. "Ladies first."  
  
"I hate you sometimes, you know that." John rolled his eyes, handing Jack the PDA on the way past him into the building.  
  
***  
  
"I think I have it," Tosh said, causing the others to look up. She looked back, glancing at each of them in turn before returning her gaze to the monitor. "It's in the central business district of Cardiff."  
  
"God, I hope Bellic doesn’t blow it up," Gwen said, coming to stop behind Tosh and gaze over her shoulder at the map. "There'd be hundreds of causalities."  
  
"Hopefully he ain't that stupid," Owen muttered.  
  
"We can't exactly make judgements," Tosh reminded him. "We don't know much about him yet."  
  
"Yeah, well, unless he wants to be found, he won't blow it up," Owen said, scowling.  
  
"Tosh is right, though. We can't start to predict him until we have more information." Gwen looked over toward the lounge, where Ianto was sitting with a dark look on his face. "Did Jack or John give you any information about how he works?"  
  
"Only that's he's dangerous," Ianto said. "And that he's killed thousands. Nothing more."  
  
"Well that's a big help," Owen muttered.  
  
"Can't be that dangerous," Rhys said. "Gave them some kind of warning about the explosion, right? I mean, they got out in time."  
  
"Only just," Owen said.  
  
"Tosh," Gwen leaned over her shoulder. "Do you have any CCTV footage of Jack and John now?"  
  
"Hang on." Tosh hit a few keys, bringing it up for them to see. "Here we go. It would appear they've gone inside."  
  
"Any camera's inside?"  
  
Tosh's fingers flew across the keyboard, frowning slightly before she leaned back and shook her head. "No, nothing. But from our records it’s a business that's recently been foreclosed by a bank."  
  
"So there's no one else there?" Gwen asked.  
  
"I guess."  
  
***  
  
"You know, there are times I really appreciate 51st Century technology," John grumbled as they made their way through the deserted office, taking in the abandoned computers and furniture almost white under the layers of dust. "Nano's that scrub the air for odours, surfaces that repel dust, carpet that cleans itself, and inbuilt lighting that never goes out."  
  
"If you miss it so much then why don't you go back there," Jack said, shooting him a glare.  
  
"What, and miss out on hanging around and annoying you?" John shot him a grin before refocussing his attention on their surroundings. "Could be worse, I suppose. At least there's no hay on the floor."  
  
It was Jack's turn to smirk. "I almost forgot that you get hay fever."  
  
"Literally," John said. "Go near the stuff and burn up."  
  
"Yet you have no reaction to grass," Jack said.  
  
"Yeah. Go figure." John frowned, shaking his head. "The dust hasn't been disturbed for a long time. Sure this is the place?"  
  
"You tell me. You were the one navigating." Jack paused. "Wouldn't be the first time you've taken us to the wrong place, though."  
  
"Oh will you just drop that." John glared at him. "That happened once."  
  
"We almost ended up being someone’s lunch," Jack reminded him.  
  
"Maybe, but we did end up having some pretty interesting sex with that high priestess of the planet," John pointed out.  
  
Jack had to concede the point.  
  
They continued to move through the building, checking each of the side rooms and adjoining offices for any sign that Bellic had been on the premises. They checked the door to the stairs, finding it locked and bolted, a brief inspection telling them that it hadn't been touched since it had been put on there.  
  
"I reckon he knew we would track back the cameras," John said, shaking his head and scowling. "He probably only turned the interference on just outside."  
  
"Would mean we might be able to find him on the CCTV," Jack said, gesturing toward the door. "Let's go check the footage. It might lead us back to where he came from."  
  
"I'm not keeping my hopes up," John said. "Crafty bastard probably deleted the rest of the footage."  
  
"21st Century technology is primitive compared to what he normally works with,' Jack agreed.  
  
"21st Century technology is primitive compared to everything," John said, pointing at the computers. "I mean, come on. Those things still use DOS for god’s sake. And who the hell uses Windows anymore?"  
  
"Just you remember that everything we're used to had to start somewhere," Jack said.  
  
John grunted, slowing as his nose twitched, turning to look back across the office. "Do you smell that?"  
  
Jack shot him a sharp look before stopping, sniffing the air and frowning. "I do, actually. What is that?"  
  
"Not sure." John's eyes scanned their surroundings. "I'm sure I've smelt it before though."  
  
Jack glanced at him then back around the room, eyes widening as the noted the faint haze beginning to form in the air as his lungs began to feel tight. "That's because we have. It's sydrodum."  
  
John spun toward him. "The gas from Sydra?"  
  
Jack nodded. "We've gotta get out of here."  
  
"Don't need to say it twice," John said, already moving quickly through the building and back toward the door.   
  
The haze in the air became steadily thicker as they hurried through the office, beginning to cough and wheeze as the gas began to take hold. John stumbled, Jack catching his arm and hoisting him back to his feet, practically dragging John's smaller form across the remaining space. Jack fumbled for the door handle, gasping as it finally gave and he pulled it opened, virtually throwing John out before stumbling outside and slamming the door closed behind him.  
  
John had curled himself into a foetal position as he coughed violently, one hand clutching his chest as he struggled to breathe. Jack glanced at him as he sank down beside the SUV himself, closing his eyes and trying to breathe deep, the air continually catching in his lungs as he tried to force the gas from them.  
  
The pain was excruciating, almost as if his lungs were on fire. He'd done that once, years ago, and that was one death he cared never to repeat again. Slowly the pain began to fade, Jack finding it easier to breathe although it still felt as if something were partly blocking his airway.  
  
He opened his eyes, glancing to the side as seeing that John was now just laying there, one hand still absently holding his chest; eyes closed yet still awake, no longer coughing. Jack glanced around quickly, seeing no one in view before looking back down at John.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"I hate that bastard," John growled, voice hoarse as he carefully pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Where the hell did he get sydrodum?"  
  
"He must have visited Sydra before coming to Earth," Jack said. "We don't know how long he's been out of prison. He could have been out for months."  
  
"Great, just what we need. A sick, homicidal, technical genius with months of preparation behind him." John opened his eyes to glare at him. "So, what's the plan now then?"  
  
Jack shook his head, rubbing his eyes. This was going to be just as hard as the last time.  
  
***  
  
Ianto had been doing a mental countdown in his mind as he held his mobile, the phone ringing just as he hit 'zero'. He glanced at the display, giving himself another tick for being able to predict Jack before he hit 'accept', bringing the phone to his ear.  
  
"So, the hunt's not going so well then."  
  
" _The hunt is going fine_ ," Jack said.  
  
"I'm sure it is, Sir." Ianto glanced up toward the screen as he noted everyone watching him out the corner of his eye. "You've only almost been blown up and now apparently gassed."  
  
There was a pause, Ianto watching on the screen as he saw Jack start to glance around, Jack's eyes coming to rest on the CCTV camera and allowing Ianto to see the other man's scowl. " _I thought I told you to stay out of it, Ianto_."  
  
"Oh, I am. We're all still here. We've simply been watching you, that's all."  
  
" _What do you mean 'we'? The others don't know._ "  
  
"They do, actually. I told them."  
  
He heard Jack growl and saw the look of displeasure flicker across Jack's face. " _Ianto..._ "  
  
"Did you honestly believe I'd lie to them about something like this?" Ianto scowled, pushing himself up into a proper sitting position. "Jack, it's bad enough that I came here without leading them on. I told them the truth. Besides, they saw the Bentley and knew John was here."  
  
" _No doubt you parked it in plain sight where they could see it._ "  
  
Ianto ignored him. "I'm surprised they didn't start to question you when you didn't let them have the SUV, especially since normally when we have a hunt outside of Cardiff it is standard procedure that those on the that mission are the ones to take the SUV."  
  
" _We didn't that time we went to Swansea._ "  
  
"That might have something to do with the fact Owen had wrecked it at the time." Ianto spotted Owen's glare but paid him no mind.  
  
" _Owen's always wrecked the SUV._ "  
  
Ianto sighed, glancing up at the screen and staring at Jack's face. "We can help you, Jack."  
  
He saw Jack shake his head. " _No._ "  
  
" _I_ can help you." Ianto continued to stare at him. "We have the training. We're not useless, Jack. If you don't want the others getting involved they can stay here and set up base while I come back in and help you and John."  
  
He saw Jack's eyes darken. " _You are staying right were you are. I don't want you involved, Ianto._ "  
  
"I'm already involved, Jack. If it concerns you and John it concerns me. Besides, it was my car he blew up."  
  
" _Which is exactly why I want you to stay out of it. Bellic will kill you if given the chance._ "  
  
"Much like he just tried to kill you."  
  
" _He can't._ "  
  
"But he can John. He almost did." Ianto glanced behind Jack on the screen. "Whatever he used it's taking John a while to recover from."  
  
He watched as Jack turned to glance down at where John had dragged himself over to lean against the SUV, obviously still short of breath and still in pain as he watched Jack through half-closed lids. " _He'll be fine._ "  
  
"I'm sure he will... in an hour or so." Ianto raised a brow. "What did Bellic use?"  
  
" _It's called sydrodum from the planet Sydra. It's what the Sydrums breathe, like we do oxygen, only the gas is poisonous to humans. It shuts down our respiratory system._ "  
  
Ianto nodded. "Would I be correct in saying that the Sydrums have a similar reaction to oxygen?"  
  
" _No, actually. Oxygen to them is like a drug, like vallum. Makes them really sleepy._ " He heard Jack growl. " _I just want to know where the bastard got it._ "  
  
"Judging by what you've said about Bellic, it could be possible that he already had it stockpiled somewhere prior to his being capture just in case he required it."  
  
There was a long pause, and glancing at the screen he saw Jack frowning thoughtfully. " _We never stopped to think about that._ "  
  
"It comes from having a fresh and open mind. That's why you need me."  
  
" _Ianto, don't make me say it again. Stay out of it._ "  
  
Ianto switched the phone to his other ear, feeling faint anger burn up inside him as he turned away from the others and lowered his voice. "Stop being a stubborn bastard, Jack. The only reason you and John don't want me involved is because you're scared I'll be killed."  
  
He glancing back he saw the others nod their agreement to that, and an ever so quick startled look flickered across Jack's face on the screen before he scowled. " _That's not it at all._ "  
  
"Then what is it, Jack? And don't give me that 'we've dealt with him before' crap, because it's clear that while you may have, he's still able to one-up you."  
  
" _That's just because John and I are still trying to track him down. Once we locate him we will deal with him_."  
  
"Will this be before or after he's blown up half of Cardiff?" Ianto set his jaw. "I could come into Cardiff and help locate him. Three of us could find him quicker than two. The others could monitor things from this end and give us possible locations from what they find." Seeing a movement, Ianto nodded toward Owen. "Owen's more than happy to come in and help as well. This would end a hell of a lot quicker, Jack, _before_ any innocents get hurt."  
  
" _Bellic isn't exactly trying to attract attention to himself, Ianto, so he won't kill any innocents. All I need is for you guys to stay right where you are, well out of the way. We can handle this._ "  
  
Ianto rolled his eyes. "Because you're doing so well already."  
  
" _Don't start, Jones. I'm not fighting with you about this. I'm giving you an order as your leader, now follow it._ "  
  
Ianto felt a rock settle in his stomach as anger flashed through him. He saw the others frown at the look on his face, Ianto clenching his teeth. "Okay, fine. We'll stay. Get John killed, because that's what's going to happen, Jack, and it'll be on your hands."  
  
He saw Jack's eyes jerk sharply up toward the camera. " _Ianto..._ "  
  
"I think you've made yourself perfectly clear, Jack, that you have absolutely no faith in your team. And that includes me."  
  
Without another word he hit disconnect, glancing up at the screen as Jack stared at his phone, the other man pressing a speed dial button. Ianto disconnected again the minute the phone started ringing, and then proceeded to switch the mobile off. He saw Jack swear as he realised the phone was off, putting his own away and kicking a tyre of the SUV before yanking a still dazed John to his feet and bundling him into the vehicle before getting in himself, smoke coming from the tyres as Jack slammed it into reverse and gunned it out of the alley.  
  
"You two are scary when you fight," Tosh said softly.  
  
"Remind me never to piss you off," Rhys agreed.  
  
Owen continued to watch Ianto through narrowed eyes, nodding toward the phone. "What'd he say that really got under your skin?"  
  
Ianto met his eye. "Apparently our staying here is an order from our leader, and we are to follow it."  
  
"I hate it when he does that," Gwen said, scowling. "You're right, though, we could get this done a lot quicker if we all contributed."  
  
Tosh looked from Gwen to Ianto and back. "So what do we do? Do we stay here or do we go back?"  
  
"We stay," Gwen said without hesitation. "We look into it and see if we can locate Bellic, then deal with him."  
  
"Undermine Jack's authority." Owen grinned. "I like it."  
  
"I knew you would," Gwen said, looking toward Ianto. "Unless anyone else has an idea."  
  
Ianto glanced up at her. "It's all we can do at the moment."  
  
"Works for me," Tosh said, turning back to the computer and beginning to work. "Now, if Bellic wasn't in that office building and that's where the static ends, that means we should be able to find some trace of him especially since he had to somehow set up the gas devices. It's simply a matter of locating him."  
  
"See what you can do, Tosh," Gwen said, touching her shoulder gently. "We'll begin our own enquiries. We'll find him one way or the other."


	6. Chapter 6

John was still shaking when they got back to the Hub, and Jack wasn't all that surprised when the other man collapsed onto the couch the minute they were inside. As he switched on Gwen's monitors to check the scanners Jack ticked off another toxin that didn't affect him the way it once did.  
  
Jack glanced back quickly at John, noting how pale the other man was and wondering if he needed to be moved down into the medical bay. Jack decided against it, his knowledge of John enough for him to know that if John needed medical attention he would have said something or made the move to get it himself.  
  
Turning back to the monitors, Jack started up a new search program to locate the CCTV footage of the area around the office building before moving across to Tosh's computer and using one of her own programs to backtrack everyone who had run a search on the other footage, soon coming up with a location and statistics of the other user.  
  
"Your country place has full set-up?"  
  
"Hm?" John turned his head, gazing at Jack for a moment before relaxing back against the fabric. "Yeah. Figured I'd need some kind of base just in case things went bad."  
  
Jack frowned. "You knew this would happen?"  
  
"Figured someone would come after me, yeah." John gazed at him out the corner of his eye. "Time Agents don't exactly make friends. It was only a matter of time."  
  
Jack glared at him. "I thought you said you believed none of our cases would get out."  
  
"I did. I was thinking more along the lines of their family and associates."  
  
Jack had to concede the point. He turned back to the screen, frowning to himself as he tracked the movements of Tosh at the other end. He let out a sigh, rubbing his eyes. He had told them to stay out of it, and it was clear that they had no intention of doing that at all.  
  
"If you're that concerned about them, why don't you knock their systems offline?"  
  
Jack glanced back at John briefly and shook his head, returning his eyes to the screen. "First thing they'd do is jump in their cars and come right back. At the moment they're staying put."  
  
"But for how long?" John pushed himself up into a sitting position with shaky arms, running a hand through his hair to brush it back into place. "They're resilient. You can't expect them to give up just because you told them too."  
  
"I perfectly aware of that." Jack set his jaw. "That's why we need to find Bellic and find him fast. Between Gwen, Owen and Ianto there's no way my team will stay out of this for long."  
  
"Okay then." John watched him, eyes narrowed in thought. "So far we've been following his little trail of bread crumbs and been burned twice. We need to start thinking outside the box and forget the obvious."  
  
"The obvious thing would be to follow the CCTV footage," Jack agreed. "The not so obvious would be to start working out where he wouldn't be, and narrow it down from there."  
  
"He wouldn't be in the residential areas," John continued, follow Jack's trail of thought. "He doesn't like being near people in case someone stumbles upon his plan, and that's more likely in built up areas."  
  
"Okay, that rules the margin down by half." Jack crossed back to Gwen's computer, bringing up a search map of Cardiff and started inputting the data, the areas ruled out going dark on the screen. "He'd also stay away from the central business district for the same reason."  
  
"He likes to stay central though," John reminded him. "Gives him access to all areas, keeps him near a ready supply of material and parts, and means that if he gets into a fix he doesn't have far to go to get back, no matter where he is."  
  
"The need for parts would mean somewhere near the industrial areas," Jack said, highlighting the area. "It would grant him all the equipment he needs."  
  
"He'd need somewhere to build those little robot toys of his," John added. "Maybe somewhere like that warehouse Ianto took out that Carshy."  
  
Jack shook his head. "Warehouse was taken over a month ago. They're making furniture there now."  
  
"No way would he go there then." John let out a long breath, pushing himself up to join Jack at the work station. "This is what I hate about Bellic. He's unpredictable."  
  
"That's what makes him dangerous." Jack growled. "Why the hell did they let him out. He's one of the universes worst terrorists. They're practically asking for him to do it again."  
  
"You know as well as I do that it's all about the politics. They don't care about his track record, only that they look good in the eyes of their voters." John shook his head. "There were also a lot of complaints about the heavy-handedness of the Agency right before it closed. The media was spinning things to make us out to be brutes who overplayed how dangerous the criminals we hunted were."  
  
"Like the death toll wasn't enough."  
  
"They thought we fabricated that too."  
  
"Idiots." Jack rubbed his eyes. "Sometimes it is really hard to tell the difference between the 21st and the 51st Centuries."  
  
John raised a brow. "If you ever need a reminder go into a church after mass and snog a guy. You'll get your reminder."  
  
Jack chuckled, smiling faintly as he studied the map, glancing toward a side monitor at the faint beep.  
  
"What's that?" John asked.  
  
"I set up a tracking program earlier to monitor the police network." Jack hit a few keys, opening a window. "Set it to alert me about anyone matching Bellic's profile or anything that could resemble his toys."  
  
John leaned toward the screen. "And?"  
  
Jack brought up the report, frowning. "Tourists on a bus spotted something glistening in the light and swear it was some kind of robot. The police have brushed it off. Doesn’t' surprise me because it's nothing unusual given recent events in London."  
  
John's frown deepened as he pointed to the screen. "Is that the location?"  
  
Jack glanced at him. "Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Shit." John stepped back, gritting his teeth. "Grab your coat. We've got to go."  
  
***  
  
"You weren't joking when you said the job can be boring."  
  
Gwen smiled, handing Rhys his cup of coffee. "You didn't think it was all fighting aliens and hunting Weevils all the time, did you?"  
  
"Well, it seems like there's always something trying to invade," Rhys admitted, sipping his drink and wincing as he scolded his tongue. "So what's going to happen when you find this guy?"  
  
"We'll jump in the car, go back to Cardiff and take care of him," Gwen answered without hesitation.  
  
Rhys started. "What? Kill him?"  
  
"From what Ianto says this Bellic's dangerous. We can't have him wandering around Cardiff."  
  
Rhys stared at her as they made their way back out of the kitchen, Gwen stopping to check the alarm system. "It doesn't even bother you, does it? Killing someone."  
  
"Rhys," Gwen stopped, turning to him with wide eyes she knew always melted him when they are arguing. "It's my job. If we can capture them we do, but when we have to we kill the alien we're dealing with."  
  
"That's sick, Gwen. What if they're the last of their kind? That's genocide." Rhys frowned. "And from what I've seen half the aliens don't speak our language. How do we know they're invading? Maybe they just don't know the local customs."  
  
"Rhys, if they're a threat, we have to deal with them." Gwen widened her eyes a little more. "Can't have them destroying Cardiff, can we? We don't want to kill them, Rhys, really. Jack hates having to do it. But when they start targeting innocent people what choice do we have? We can't just keep them locked up."  
  
Rhys continued to glare at her before finally crumbling under her gaze. "I guess you're right. If a bunch of aliens started shooting at me I'd want to shoot back."  
  
"Exactly." Gwen stepped forward, hooking her thumbs into his belt and smiling up at him. "Our aim is to protect everyone. We do what we can."  
  
"Yeah, and you do a good job of it," Rhys said, kissing her gently. "Still wish you'd asked me before you joined, though."  
  
Gwen simply smiled and shrugged, returning the kiss and giggling when Rhys caught her in a bear hug and kissed her back. Gwen wrapped her arms around him. They paused at the sound of a throat clearing behind them, looking back to see Owen leaning against the balcony railing.  
  
'Tosh thought you might want to know the SUV is on the move again," Owen said. "So if you lovebirds are quite done, we're going to try and work out where they're going and decide if we should try and get there first."  
  
Gwen forced a smile and nod, reluctantly relinquishing her hold on Rhys. She took a step back away from him, offering him a small sad smile.  
  
"Back to work then," he said, returning the smile.  
  
"Back to work," she agreed.  
  
They started at the sound of the crash, whipping around toward the sound. There came another from the opposite end of the house, Gwen's hand reaching inside her jacket as she pulled her gun free. Hearing steps, she glanced up and spotting Owen once more on the balcony, his own gun in hand. They exchanged a brief look, no words needed as they silently agreed: it had begun.


	7. Chapter 7

Tosh and Ianto looked up at the sound of the alarm, Tosh quickly tapping in a command and bringing up the readout. "It's the security system. We've been breached."  
  
Ianto was on his feet in a second, crossing the room to join her. "Where abouts? Does it say?"  
  
Tosh was silent for a moment as her eyes darted over the data being presented to her, her jaw set. "Lower level. Bay window in the main dining room on the East and the patio door on the West."  
  
"Can it give us anything else?"  
  
"Afraid not. The system is only configured to detect intrusion, not give readouts on the actual intruder."  
  
Ianto frowned. "Cameras?"  
  
"There's software here for them, but I don't think they've been installed yet." Tosh looked back at him. "John was still putting this system together."  
  
Ianto reached into his pocket, fishing out his phone and switching it back on, hitting speed dial as soon as it had loaded. It rang for a while before there came an answer at the other end. " _Ianto? We're in deep shit down here._ "  
  
Ianto frowned, tossing a look at Tosh. "Rhys? Where's Gwen?"  
  
" _She's eh... a bit busy at the moment. These robot things came in and started stalking us._ "  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
" _No idea. Soon as we spotted them she locked me in the cupboard._ "  
  
"Right." Ianto narrowed his eyes and setting his jaw, meeting Tosh's gaze. "We've got some sort of robot, Tosh. Gwen's holding them off. She's locked Rhys in a cupboard."  
  
"Where's Owen?" Tosh asked. "He should have been back by now."  
  
Ianto returned his attention to the phone. "Rhys, have you seen Owen?"  
  
" _He's with Gwen. Was just leaving when they broke in._ "  
  
Ianto was about to answer when Tosh said his name, Ianto looking back at her. She was staring at the window as a shadow past across it, slowly raising herself from her seat as her hand moved toward her gun.  
  
Ianto swallowed hard. "Rhys, got to go. See you in a second."  
  
There was a crash as the window exploded in, showering glass into the room. Ianto snapped his phone shut and slipped it back into his pocket as Tosh fired off a round of shots at the metal creature that now stood in the room. It didn't flinch as the bullets ricocheted off its body, sparks flitting to life and disappearing with each impact.  
  
Ianto reached out and grabbed Tosh just as the creatures glowing LED blue eyes turned toward them and it raised itself up, almost beastlike in its appearance. It raised one arm, a panel drawing back to reveal its weapon. It fired off a shot just as Tosh and Ianto disappeared out the door, the wood splintering behind them.  
  
***  
  
Owen swore under his breath, eyes darting from one robot to the next, noting that they never needed to reload. They'd already discovered that their outer metal was bullet-proof, and that even the age-old trick of shooting out the eyes didn't work because they moved out of the way before the bullets could hit. All Owen knew at that moment was these things were unstoppable, deadly, and making a bloody big mess of John's house.  
  
Hearing a noise above, Owen glanced up and spotted Tosh and Ianto appearing at the top of the staircase. He and Gwen exchanged a quick look then supplied cover fire, causing the creatures to focus all attention on them while Tosh and Ianto quickly moved down the stairs to join them.  
  
Owen caught Tosh in his arms, embracing her and feeling a slight sense of relief at knowing she was safe and where he knew he could keep an eye on her, although he would never tell her the latter. Tosh was the first to let go, glancing back at Gwen.  
  
"There's another one upstairs," she said. "Broke in through the window. The sensors didn't pick up any others."  
  
"Hang on, didn't that window have bars on it?" Owen said.  
  
"They're bullet-proof," Ianto reminded him. "A few iron bars would be nothing to them."  
  
"Ianto's right. Nothing we've got is going to affect them." Gwen glanced back, firing off a couple more rounds and looking up as Tosh and Ianto began shooting, spotting the robot at the top of the staircase watching them. "The only thing we can do it retreat."  
  
"Retreat where?" Tosh asked.  
  
"As far away from here as possible."  
  
"What?" Owen shot Gwen a sharp look. "You mean run?"  
  
"Gwen's right, it's the only thing we can do." Ianto frowned, eyes shooting from one robot to the next. "Until we know more about them, we can't defeat them. If we stay here we'll get killed."  
  
Tosh looked at him. "They're right, Owen. Until we can study them and analyse their defences, we don't stand a chance."  
  
"Okay, fine. We run." Owen looked at Gwen. "You grabbing Rhys or am I?"  
  
Gwen was gone in an instant, throwing open the doorway to the cupboard under the stairs and tugging Rhys out, the pair ducking as the wall above them exploded in wood fragments and plaster board.  
  
"Easiest way is to use cover fire and run for the front door," Gwen said as she and Rhys rejoined them, the others making sure Rhys was covered. Gwen looked at Tosh. "Are you sure there are no more outside?"  
  
"The scanners were limited, but from what I could see, no," Tosh replied, reloading her weapon. "I didn't have enough time to make sure."  
  
"We'll have to take a chance then." Gwen readied her weapon, letting out a quick breath. "On three. One. Two. Three!"  
  
Without a moments hesitation they ran for the door, Owen in the lead with Tosh and Rhys just behind, Gwen keeping an eye on her husband while Ianto brought up the rear and continued to provide covering fire. They made it outside with no problems, seeming to have caught the robots off guard with their sudden move.  
  
Once outside, they made a dash for the cars, Owen heading in the direction of the Bentley knowing it would provide a faster getaway. Before he could reach it there came another crash, one of the robots leaping through the front window and landing on the Bentley's roof, crushing it.  
  
"Okay," Owen said, changing direction. "Maybe not the Bentley."  
  
"John's going to be pissed," Tosh said as Rhys threw open the door to his car and dove into the drivers seat, quickly turning over the engine.  
  
Owen gestured for Tosh and Gwen to follow him, Tosh sliding into the back while Gwen shot at the creatures a couple more times before claiming the front passenger seat. Owen continued to fire, providing cover for Ianto as the other man dashed across to them, Owen still impressed by how much speed that man had.  
  
He saw Ianto stagger slightly but didn't have time to react as he threw himself into the backseat, Ianto joining him immediately. Rhys had planted his foot before Ianto could even close the door, the back wheels spinning for a second before they could gain traction, the car quickly moving down the driveway away from the mansion.  
  
Owen glanced out the back window, letting out a long breath. "Well, they're not following us."

"Ianto, are you alright?" Gwen asked, looking back.  
  
Owen looked sharply to the side, noting that the other man was wincing as he reached around behind him toward his left shoulder. After a moment he tugged at something, bringing it forward to show them. "It's some kind of dart."  
  
Gwen frowned. "A dart?"  
  
"Maybe they ran out of ammo," Tosh said.  
  
"Wouldn't surprise me," Rhys said.  
  
"That's what I don't understand," Tosh said, looking around at them. "They could have easily killed us back there. We didn't exactly have the best cover."  
  
"Maybe they just wanted to scare us," Owen said. "Shake us up a bit."  
  
"Might be a warning to Jack and John," Ianto continued.  
  
"They probably traced Jack's call," Tosh pointed out.  
  
They were silent for a long while, Rhys not slowing the car until they had put some distance behind them. Gwen sighed, resting back in her seat and reaching across to pat Rhys' knee, giving him a small smile when he glanced at her. He returned it, Gwen noting for the first time that he was shaking and squeezing his leg in reassurance.  
  
Owen and Ianto were inspecting the dart in the fading light; Tosh had her PDA out connecting to the Hub's systems. Gwen looked at each of them in turn. "Well, I don't care what Jack says," she said, "we're going back to Cardiff."  
  
"No arguments here," Tosh said.  
  
"We shouldn't have left in the first place," Owen agreed. "And if Jack even tries to argue with us, I'm going to-"  
  
"Owen."  
  
"What?" Owen shot a look at Ianto, glaring. "You're not going to start prote... Ianto? You okay, mate?"  
  
Ianto looked up at him, eyes wide as he clutched the front of his shirt, breathing heavily. "There was something on the dart."  
  
"Shit." Owen spun in his seat, instantly reaching for Ianto's pulse and frowning. "Heart rates dropping. How's the breathing?"  
  
"Getting hard," Ianto admitted.  
  
Tosh reached across, picking up the dart and inspect it. "There's some sort of tube just inside the end. It probably holds some kind of poison, but I can't analyse it without my equipment."  
  
"Which is in the SUV, beside my anti-toxin kit," Owen growled. He shot a look forward into the front seat where Gwen and Rhys were watching them. "Gwen, call Jack. We need that equipment."  
  
Gwen was already taking her phone out before he'd finished.


	8. Chapter 8

"I sent them out here to so that they would be safe," Jack growled. "Why the hell is Bellic going after them?"  
  
"Because they're your weakness," John reminded him. "Bellic always goes for our weak spots. That's how he works."  
  
Jack shot him a quick look as the SUV cleared the edge of Cardiff's business district. "No he didn't."  
  
"Yes he did. He goes in, analyses his target, finds their weakness and exploits it. Why do you think he was considered so dangerous?" John scowled. "He didn't just take lives, Jack, he destroyed them. By the time he was finished even the familles of his targets had nothing left."  
  
Jack watched him out the corner of his eye. "What did you do? Go back and check it out after we'd caught him?"  
  
"I might have." John frowned, shaking his head. "Bellic was always the one that got to me. I figured if I could work him out I'd be able to handle anything."  
  
"And did you?"  
  
John remained silent, staring out the forward window.  
  
Jack watched him for a moment, then look forward again as he took them onto the highway that would lead them out of Cardiff toward John's mansion. "He never went for my weakness."  
  
"That's because you didn't have one." John rolled his eyes. "All you had was your ego, your insatiable sex drive, and your need to show everyone just how good you are." He scowled. "If Bellic had of known about and found Gray, it would have been a whole different story."  
  
It was Jack's turn to fall silent, houses and cars a blur as he steered the car through the peak hour traffic heading home. After a while Jack glanced sideways again. "How about you?"  
  
"How about me what?"  
  
"Your weakness." Jack moved them around a lorry, the road ahead clear. "Did he find it?"  
  
" _You_ were my weakness," John replied. "You always have been. It's kind of a moot point now you're immortal, but back then..."  
  
Jack frowned. "Hang on a minute; you knocked me off a building."  
  
"That was an accident."  
  
"You _pushed_ me."  
  
"You pissed me off." John shot him a glare. "You were deliberately getting under my skin."  
  
"You hurt my team."  
  
"Exactly." John watched him. "Your weakness. Even I knew that. Get rid of them, and I could get to you."  
  
Jack looked at him sharply, only to have his phone ring before he could reply. He slipped on his Bluetooth, glanced at the number and hit 'answer'. "Gwen?"  
  
" _Jack, we've been attacked._ "  
  
"I know. We're just heading there now. Is everyone okay?"  
  
" _Ianto's been poisoned._ "  
  
Jack felt his stomach plunge. "What do you mean 'poisoned'? Is he still alive?"  
  
" _At the moment, but he's going fast, Jack. Owen doesn't think he'll make it to Cardiff._ "  
  
Jack swallowed hard. "Gwen, what sort of symptoms is Ianto showing?"  
  
John looked at him sharply.  
  
" _I-I-I don't know. Slowing heartbeat, he's finding it hard to breath. He's starting to lose consciousness..._ "  
  
"Is he starting to find it hard to move?"  
  
" _What?_ "  
  
Jack stared at the road ahead. "Is he becoming paralysed?"  
  
" _Jack, I can't..._ "  
  
"Is he conscious right now?"  
  
There was a pause. " _He is._ "  
  
"Then ask him."  
  
He could hear talk on the other end of the phone, Jack meeting John's concerned look with his own and noting the fear in the other man's eyes. John stared at the phone as Gwen came back on. " _Jack, he says he is. He says it feels like everything’s heavy, and he's having trouble moving._ "  
  
"It's Bellic's paralysis poison," Jack confirmed, frowning as John undid his belt and slid between the seats, heading for the back. "Gwen, we'll try and meet you half way. There should be something in the anti-toxin kit that will slow it down long enough to get him back to Cardiff."  
  
" _Please hurry, Jack._ "  
  
Jack hung up the phone, banging his fist against the steering wheel. "Dammit! Why did it have to be Ianto?"  
  
"Because Bellic has obviously been watching you and knows he's your lover." John glanced forward at him as he flipped open the lid to the anti-toxin kit. "That, and he's probably been watching long enough to know Ianto's a threat."  
  
Jack looked at him in the rear view mirror. "You think he went after him deliberately?"  
  
"I do."  
  
Jack reached across and flipped on the passenger side computer, keying in a tracking system for Gwen's phone and noted their location, estimating it would take them at least another ten minutes before they'd cross paths just outside of Cardiff's main residential area. Hearing a shuffling, he looked back up at the mirror and spotted John sifting through the contents of the kit, lining up various vials.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"After we caught Bellic and you were in the hospital I took what was left of the antidote and had it analysed," John said, picking up a syringe and beginning to fill it with the various liquids. "I got the complete breakdown for the antidote memorised, just in case I came across the poison again."  
  
Jack blinked. "You know how to make the antidote?"  
  
John nodded. "And the best part of it is all the ingredients have been around since the mid-nineteenth century. And all considered ideal anti-toxins, and all kept in anti-toxin kits."  
  
Jack smiled, looking back at the road ahead. "I could kiss you."  
  
"Kiss me later. We need to save Eye Candy first."  
  
***  
  
"Is there any sign of them yet?" Tosh asked.  
  
"Nothing," Gwen replied, looking at her husband. "Rhys, go faster."  
  
"I'm already pushing it as hard as I can, love," Rhys replied.  
  
Gwen turned in her seat, looking back. "How is he?"  
  
"He's barely breathing," Owen said, reaching for Ianto's pulse again, checking it. "Heart rates so slow and weak I can barely feel it."  
  
"Hang on." Rhys straightened, looking ahead. "I can see a black SUV. Still too far away to be sure, but I think it's them."  
  
"Oh thank god." Gwen looked forward, spotting the other vehicle rushing toward them. "Rhys, pull over somewhere once we get closer."  
  
Owen reached up, catching Ianto's face in his hands. "Hang in there, mate. Die on me and I'll kill you."  
  
Rhys pulled the car sharply to the side, sliding it to a halt as the SUV pulled up in front of them, Jack out the door almost instantly and moving toward them. Gwen swung out of the car, moving to the back door and opening it just as Jack joined them.  
  
"We need to get him to the SUV," Jack said, glancing inside the car. "Owen?"  
  
"Yeap. Hang on a sec and I'll give you a hand."  
  
Owen waited for Tosh to get out and followed her, coming around the side of the car where Jack was carefully beginning to ease Ianto out. Owen joined him, the two working Ianto out of the car and carrying him over toward where John had opened the back of the SUV.  
  
Owen and Jack carefully set Ianto down, the other man's eyes fluttering slightly in his struggle to maintain consciousness. Owen looked up sharply as he spotted John reaching for a needle.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Relax, Harper," John shot him a look as he reached for Ianto's arm, pushing up his sleeve so that he could get to the vein. "It's the antidote."  
  
"How the hell do you know the antidote?"  
  
"Because Bellic poisoned Jack with the exact same stuff back when we first hunted him."  
  
"Are you sure this isn't different?" Jack asked, watching as John injected Ianto with the antidote. "It took a while before I even noticed I'd been poisoned. It's been less than 30 minutes for Ianto."  
  
"Don't forget to factor in the difference between 21st Century and 51st Century genetics. We've got a stronger immune system."  
  
"True."  
  
"How long until we know it works?" Gwen asked.  
  
"We got it to him early so... an hour maybe?"  
  
"He shouldn't get any worse," John confirmed. "He should already be starting to find it easier to breath and his heart rate should be strengthening." He looked at Owen. "If the good doctor would like to check."  
  
Owen shot him a glare and moved to check Ianto's vitals, looking back at the others. "He's right. Ianto's already improving."  
  
Tosh let out a long sigh of relief. "So he's going to be all right then?"  
  
"Seems that way."  
  
"It came on bloody quick," Rhys said, shaking his head. "One minute he was fine, the next..."  
  
"Jack," Gwen said, shifting from foot to foot and staring at the man in question. "What exactly was that back there? What were they?"  
  
"What did you see?" Jack asked.  
  
"They were some sort of robots," Gwen said. "They weren't like any I'd seen before. Blue eyes, unlimited ammunition that shot out of various places, completely bullet-proof."  
  
"I'd love to meet an enemy that wasn't immune to bullets," Owen muttered.  
  
"You and me both," Jack said, looking over at John. "What do you think? Bellic's toys?"  
  
"Certainly sounds like it." John frowned for a moment, absently stroking his thumb across Ianto's forehead as his fingers played lightly through the other man's hair. He looked at Gwen. "How many were there?"  
  
"Three that we know of," Tosh answered. "They didn't appear on the sensors until after they'd begun their attack. It was like that had some sort of shielding that rendered undetectable until they decided to allow themselves to be made known."  
  
"Definitely Bellic's toys," Jack muttered. He sighed. "I'm starting to think he has been here for a while. He's just too prepared."  
  
"Well, since we're all caught up in it now, I guess that means you're going to have to tell us all about him,” Owen said, checking Ianto's pulse again and satisfied he was in the clear. "Who the hell is Bellic? Ianto told us the basics and it was enough for us all to know you were keeping something from us."  
  
"Yes, Jack," Gwen agreed. "What's going on?"  
  
Jack looked around his team, noting the three sets of eyes, and even those of Rhys, watching him. He glanced back at John, who shrugged it off and continued to give Ianto the once over with a scanner built into his Vortex Manipulator. "He right?"  
  
"Just needs to sleep it off, I reckon." John looked up. "We got lucky."  
  
Jack nodded, hooking his thumbs through his belt and sighing, fully aware his team were staring at him. "Think you can drive this thing?"  
  
"Do fish swim?" John rolled his eyes. "I have a Bentley, remember?"  
  
"Uh, _had_ a Bentley," Owen said, wincing when he felts John's eyes fall on him. "Those robot things kinda crushed it."  
  
John swore. "I'm going to kill that psychotic bastard."  
  
"Anyway," Jack said, fishing out the keys to the SUV and tossing them at John. "Take Ianto home. I'll meet you there in a couple of hours." He turned back to his team. "I think it's time I filled you all in. Let's go back to the Hub."


	9. Chapter 9

Jack kept his silence during the trip back to the Hub, eyes on the black SUV ahead of them until it turned off in the direction of Radyr. After that he was lost in thought, the others watching him out the corner of their eye and not wanting to break the silence.  
  
Gwen directed Rhys into their garage, no one moving until the car had been switched off. Jack exited first, swinging out of the car and into the Hub, the others following. Rhys hesitated, only following when Gwen gestured for him to come ahead.  
  
They found Jack in the boardroom, already seated in his chair. They joined him, taking their seats around the table, Rhys taking the one at the other end of the table and the team leaving Ianto's seat free. Jack glanced at it quickly, his forehead furrowing in deep thought.  
  
"Jack?" Gwen said softly.  
  
He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before meeting each of their eyes in turn. "Before I was immortal, before I met the Doctor, I was a Time Agent. Our role was kinda like MI5, hunting down the worst criminals you could possibly imagine in the Universe.  
  
"I'd been working there for several years before John and I were assigned as partners. We hunted down a few criminals, some of the worst ones actually, and earned ourselves quite the reputation as being the best. We eh... did have our... vices, mind. But that doesn't matter. Nobody cared about that sort of thing.  
  
"Anyway, our reputation and success rate were the reason we were assigned to track down Bellic. He's the reason we were trapped in the time loop. He used the technology to try and destroy everyone in as little a time as possible and to help himself escape us, only we got caught up in it too.  
  
"We hunted him for five years, during which time we started becoming a little bit more than just partners. Bellic realised this, and started to try and use that against us."  
  
"Used it against you, how?" Gwen asked.  
  
Jack frowned slightly. "Back then, and sometimes even now, I was a love 'em and leave 'em type of guy. It was really no different with John except I had to keep putting up with him. Before I became immortal he was probably the longest I'd ever been with anyone. But I never loved him. Not in the way you view love anyway.  
  
"John, on the other hand, is obsessed with me as you know. Even back then he started to fall for me hard, and Bellic worked that out. One day he attacked us and managed to slash me with one of his weapon attachments. At the time I thought I was fine, but over the period of the next couple of weeks I became sicker and sicker until we realised that I'd been exposed to a paralysing poison."  
  
"The same thing Ianto was injected with," Owen said.  
  
Jack nodded.  
  
"But you said a couple of weeks," Tosh said. "It took Ianto less than ten minutes before we realised there was something wrong."  
  
"He went bloody fast," Rhys agreed. "He would have been dead within the hour."  
  
"Which is what John meant by the 51st Century being different to the 21st." Jack leaned back in his seat. "John and I were both born in the 51st Century. By then the immune systems of humans had built up to withstand many of the illnesses considered common now, like chicken pox, colds, flu’s, even a couple of the hepatitises. Mind you, if any of the 51st Century illnesses came back here, it would probably wipe out everyone on the planet."  
  
"So your immune system meant that it took a while for the poison to effect you, while it just ravaged Ianto," Owen said, frowning when Jack nodded. "But Bellic would have known that. Why didn't he adjust it?"  
  
"Most likely because he wanted Ianto dead," Jack replied.  
  
"But he could have just shot us," Gwen pointed out. "The robots had every opportunity to do so. They outgunned us."  
  
"I think he was going for a more personal attack," Jack replied.  
  
"He tried to kill your boyfriend," Rhys said. "How much more personal can it get?"  
  
"A lot more. Believe me."  
  
"So," Owen said, watching Jack carefully. "You'd been hunting Bellic for five years, you realise he'd poisoned you. How does John get the antidote?"  
  
"We chased Bellic to an abandoned space station in the middle of nowhere," Jack said, unconsciously fiddling with his Vortex Manipulator. "He'd aimed to go there when it was populated, but his own time travel device malfunctioned and dropped him too far into the future, stranding him.  
  
"By that stage I'd already worked out who Bellic was planning to attack next and had informed John, who'd gone ahead and planted a device onto the space station that was keyed in to recognise Bellic's device and would alert us to when and what date Bellic arrived.  
  
"When Bellic did appear we transported ourselves there, which was the last thing I was able to do before I slipped into a coma. Bellic was trapped on that space station, so it was easy for John to track him down and corner him. John then made a deal with him – he'd spare Bellic his life in exchange for the antidote."  
  
"A deal Bellic took," Gwen guessed.  
  
Jack nodded. "In effect, John saved my life. And being a man of his word, John spared Bellic's life and transported the pair of us back to the Time Agency where Bellic was taken into custody and I spent the next week in hospital."  
  
"Where you got better and went back to hunting with John," Owen guessed.  
  
Jack shook his head. "While I was in hospital the Time Agency wiped two years of my memories, so I quit and went freelance. I earned my money by conning other Time Agents out of theirs. After a couple of years I met the Doctor, travelled with him for a while and then... well." He gave an encompassing wave. "Here I am."  
  
"So you and John never worked together again?" Tosh asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Did you even see each other?"  
  
"Just once." Jack frowned. "John came to see me while I was in hospital. He told me about how he'd manage to get the antidote and that Bellic was to be imprisoned for life, narrowly escaping the death sentence via a technicality. Basically there was no current law at the time that allowed the death sentence to apply to cyborgs, which Bellic claimed he was."  
  
"But he isn't cyborg, is he?" Gwen asked. "Ianto said he was made up of prosthetics."  
  
"He is. 70% prophetic. But Bellic is smart, and knew how to manipulate the law to what he wanted."  
  
"I'm started to agree with John about hating technological geniuses'," Owen muttered, looking across the table. "No offence, Tosh."  
  
"None taken," she said.  
  
"You said he had weapons," Gwen said. "What sort, Jack? Do you know?"  
  
Jack frowned. "Bellic is forever changing and adjusting his body. Just when you think you've got him worked out he'll make some sort of modification that wasn't there the last time you saw him. Plus he has his robots. They're like his body guards. He sends them in to do his dirty work while he plans out his next move."  
  
"He also like blowing things up," Tosh said.  
  
"Yeah." Jack glared at the table in front of him. "He once blew up an entire planet because they outlawed him from going there and made threats to report him to the Shadow Proclamation."  
  
"The what?" Gwen asked.  
  
Jack gave a dismissive wave. "Kind of like the intergalactic police. They're heavy handed and kinda stupid if you ask me."  
  
"So what do we do, Jack?" Gwen asked, watching him. "What's our next move?"  
  
Jack let out a long breath, closing his eyes for a moment before straightening, eyes glancing around them. "Right now, we regroup. Bellic probably thinks Ianto is dead, meaning he assumes we're in mourning and won't be able to think rationally. We've got the advantage."  
  
"I was able to pick up a signal coming from the robots," Tosh said. "I'd just started a trace on it when one attacked me and Ianto. If I can log onto John's computer system from here, provided it hasn't been destroyed, I should be able to trace it back to its source."  
  
"I can use Tosh's readings on the robots to try and find weapons that might be able to penetrate their shielding and armour," Gwen said. "Give us more of a chance if we face them again."  
  
"John gave me the ingredients for the antidote," Owen said, holding up a slip of paper. "I'm going to make some up just in case one of us is poisoned again."  
  
"I'm going to go check on Ianto," Jack said. "Then John and I will try and work out our next move. It's a little easier this time because we're restricted to one planet, but if Bellic does go off world we'll have to go after him." He glared at his wrist strap. "It would be nice if this thing was working."  
  
He saw Tosh's eyes light up as she realised just what the Vortex Manipulator was, Jack smiling at her before looking toward the other end of the table. "Rhys?"  
  
"I guess I'll just try and keep out of everyone's way," Rhys said. "I'm getting good at that."  
  
"Okay then." Jack pushed himself up, smiling at his team. "I'll see you all in the morning."


	10. Chapter 10

John sighed, gently threading his fingers through Ianto's hair as he watched the younger man sleep. He'd been here for a while now, having used Ianto's keys to bring the man inside, stripping him of his outer clothing before tucking him into bed.  
  
John had then explored the home properly, taking in the various photographs scattered around, gaining further insight into the life of the man who had been his temporary partner during the hunt for the Plasmavore. It became clear to John just how much Ianto had loved Lisa, and just how close he had been to his father in his youth.  
  
There were photos of the team as well. It was almost like a big family, and John had to wonder where they all fit into it. Jack was probably the father, though. John worked that out just by the way Jack treated them at times. So, if Jack was the father, did that make Ianto the mother? He wondered how Ianto would react if John asked him that.  
  
John sighed, bringing his fingers down to gently trace a cheekbone. There were other things around the flat that intrigued him. An impressive book collection; a rather overzealous collection of James Bond memorabilia. Everything had its place, was straight, neat, tidy and dust free, furthering John's belief that Ianto was OCD, even if not an extreme case. An extreme case would never be able to survive working at Torchwood.  
  
John had also found a rather impressive collection of sex toys in the back of the wardrobe. John had to wonder if that was Jack's influence, or if Ianto had always had it in him. John had a sneaky suspicion, given the nature of one or two of the toys, that it may have been from before Jack and Ianto had met.  
  
There were other things too, so many things, that John hadn't expected to find. In a sense it reminded John that Ianto was just your typical 21st Century man. Sometimes, given Ianto's intelligence, hidden abilities, and the darkness in his eyes, it was easy to forget that.  
  
He pressed a soft kiss to Ianto's forehead, gently smoothing the sleeping man’s brow. He sighed, taking in the sleeping form. "There should be a law against anyone being this beautiful."  
  
Hearing no reply, John looked up toward where Jack was standing in the doorway, watching. He'd known Jack had been there for a little while, but the elder man hadn't said a word, content with leaning against the doorframe watching.  
  
"How are your team?"  
  
"Doing what they do," Jack said, finally stepping further into the room and coming to sit on the bed on the other side of Ianto, looking down a the other man. "Owen's creating more antidote, Tosh is running a trace on the robots, and Gwen is trying to find a weapon that can penetrate the robot's armour."  
  
"Ever stop to think that maybe they were right in staying back and helping us out?"  
  
Jack shook his head, looking across at him. "I'd prefer it if they weren't involved."  
  
"You can't protect them, Jack. They make their own choices." John met his eye. "And Bellic has already proven that he'll find them no matter what we do."  
  
"Yeah." Jack sighed heavily, leaning down to gently kiss the sleeping man. "Bellic's plan is to use them against us."  
  
"Use them against you. He's already tried to kill Ianto. He knows that if he hurts them you will act on impulse, making it easier for him to hurt you."  
  
"I don't think he was just targeting me when he hurt Ianto." Jack's eyes flicked from Ianto's face up to John's. "Was he."  
  
John set his jaw, gaze shifting to a spot over Jack's shoulder, unable to meet the other man's eye. "Jack..."  
  
"I was always your weakness, John," Jack reminded him. "But I'm immortal now. He can't hurt me, so he'll find other ways of hurting you. Your other weakness."  
  
"I don't–"  
  
"You're falling for him," Jack said, cutting him off, searching John's face with his eyes. "Aren't you."  
  
John frowned, eyes drifting down toward Ianto's face, taking in his sleeping form for a moment before looking up at Jack. "So what are we going to do about Bellic?"  
  
Jack chuckled, a knowing look on his face before he sighed. "I think what Tosh and Gwen are doing is our best bet. We've been trying for years to find a way around his robots without actually having to blow up half a planet to do it, and using their tracker signal to trace them back to their point of origin will at least give us a lead."  
  
"Many heads make light work," John said, sitting up properly, tucking his feet under him. "There's also the question of what we're going to do with Bellic once we catch him."  
  
"Yes, I've been thinking about that too." Jack frowned, kicking his shoes of so he could pull his feet up. "I think we should wait until we've actually caught him before we work out what to do with him, though."  
  
"I know. It's just that I'm not too keen on him being released on us again."  
  
"Neither am I." Jack glanced down at Ianto, taking in the other man. "I think Bellic deserves to pay for what he's done. Death is too good for him."  
  
"Hm. Getting a little bit dark there." John narrowed his eyes, watching Jack carefully. "I mean, I agree with you and all, but we can't exactly keep him chained up in the cells of your base so you can torture him for the rest of eternity."  
  
Jack's blue gaze flicked up toward him, there eyes meeting for a moment before Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're right. I'd probably end up getting bored with him anyway. Or he'd escape on me. That tends to happen a lot."  
  
"What? Him or the things locked in your cells escaping."  
  
"Bit of both, really." Jack shook his head. "Let’s just wait til we find him."  
  
"Yeap." John shifted so that he was comfortable, trailing a finger lightly across Ianto's forehead. "I checked his vitals earlier using my wrist strap. He's going to be fine."  
  
"Good."  
  
"I also patched up the wound on his back where the dagger got him." John looked up at Jack. "Bellic was deliberately trying to kill him. A couple of inches down and to the right, a tad more pressure, and the dagger would have pierced him through the heart. As it was it hit him in the shoulder blade so the bone stopped most of it."  
  
"Any damage to the bone?" Jack asked, flicking open his own wrist strap to run a scan over the area.  
  
"Not that I could see." John frowned. "You know, I never did get around to asking him about the scarring on his left arm."  
  
"Canary Wharf," Jack told him, giving a satisfied nod at the readouts and putting the cover back into place. "He was clipped by a Cyberman ray."  
  
"Ouch." John frowned. "He sure is one to cheat death."  
  
Jack smirked. "So are you."  
  
"But not like you, though." John let his gaze rack over the other man. "Over 100 years old, and you still look like your 40."  
  
"35," Jack said. "That's how old I was when I was made immortal."  
  
"Sorry, gorgeous, but you look older than 35," John shrugged, smiling. "You still look good for your age, though."  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes. "And exactly how old are you, now?"  
  
"That, is not a topic I wish to discuss." John leaned forward over Ianto toward Jack. "I've still got it where it counts, though."  
  
"Oh really." Jack spotted the twinkle in John's eye, closing the distance between them until there was barely a hair, lips brushing. "Can you still go all night?"  
  
"And all through the next day," John raised a brow. "Admit it, Jack, you've missed me."  
  
"I wouldn't say that." Jack nodded downward. "You'd be surprised by what Ianto can do."  
  
"Experienced it first hand, remember?"  
  
"But I bet you didn't experience everything."  
  
"I bet I taught him a few new tricks, though."  
  
They heard a chuckling, looking down and finding Ianto watching them. His gaze flicked from one to the other as he smiled. "It's always about the sex with you two."  
  
"Ianto." Jack let out a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Better," Ianto said. "I'll have to get you to fill me in later."  
  
"We will."  
  
"Do you need anything?" John asked.  
  
Ianto shook his head. "I don't need anything, no."  
  
Jack and John glanced at each other, John looking back down. "Okay then. What do you want?"  
  
Ianto smiled innocently at them. "A captain sandwich."  
  
Jack laughed, John's eyebrows raising slightly. "Oh really. And what would you like as filling?"  
  
Ianto's innocent smile widening. "Me."  
  
Jack looked across at John and winked. "I'm sure we can do that."


	11. Chapter 11

"Owen?"  
  
Owen looked up from where he had all the ingredients of the antidote spread out before him, spotting Tosh at the doorway of the autopsy room. "Something wrong, Tosh?"  
  
"Well no... yes... kinda."  
  
"That's a very precise answer." Owen set down his syringe, leaning against the autopsy table and watching her. "What's the matter?"  
  
"It's just all this." Tosh shook her head, resting her hands on the rail and looking down at him. "I've been working on the tracking program all night and I think I've finally cracked it, only the signal isn't currently broadcasting."  
  
"Well, maybe he sleeps like a normal person."  
  
"Maybe." She nodded toward him. "How about you? How are you going?"  
  
"I think I've got enough mixed up for the anti-toxin kit in the SUV, and I'm planning on putting some in all of our cars. You know, just in case." He shrugged, peeling off a glove and tossing it onto the table as Tosh sat on the step, Owen dropping down beside her. "Just got to mix up enough for the Hub, and maybe some spare."  
  
"Gwen's down in the shooting range, trying a few different weapons on some metal she found that seem to be similar to what Bellic used on the robots. Rhys was with her, but got bored and came back up. Gwen should be back any moment."  
  
"Yes, about Rhys." Owen turned to look at her. "What do you think about him coming out with us? Do you think he's getting too involved?"  
  
"That's really Jack's decision, isn't it?" Tosh frowned. "I think Rhys should be fine on basic information retrieval missions, but I think Jack will draw the line at something like Weevil hunting."  
  
"Rhys Weevil hunting." Owen sniggered. "That I'd pay to see." He flipped his other glove to the side, not really caring where it landed. "I think he should be fine. Still, given how Gwen reacted when Rhys insisted on joining us on that space whale mission, I'm surprised she even lets him in the Hub."  
  
"You did give him a key," Tosh reminded him.  
  
"Jack gave me permission." Owen shrugged it off. "I think he balances the place out nicely, actually. Keeps Gwen off our backs, and we know where he is if the world goes to shit." He raised his eyebrows. "But I swear, if he asks me to join him watching Wife Swap in the board room one more time..."  
  
"You and me both." Tosh chuckled, resting her head against Owen's shoulder and smiling as he slipped an arm around her waist. "He's certainly proven himself to be helpful on occasion. _And_ he hasn't told anyone about us."  
  
"Doubt he will. I think he kinda gets off on playing the hero."  
  
"You mean like you do."  
  
"Oi."  
  
Tosh smiled up at him, spotting his slightly disapproving look although she could see the sparkle in his eyes. "How about John? He's proven a help lately."  
  
Owen snorted. "What? You mean like hunting that Plasmavore and almost getting us all killed, or bringing this Bellic guy here in the first place because he didn't kill him when he first caught him?"  
  
"Owen." Tosh frowned. "He didn't kill him because he needed the antidote to save Jack, remember?"  
  
"I know," Owen shrugged it off. "I just think he should have taken the antidote and then killed him, that's all. I doubt John would have lost any sleep over it."  
  
"Maybe." Tosh sighed, closing her eyes. "We nearly lost Ianto today, didn't we."  
  
"He cut it fairly fine, yeah." Owen scowled, glancing down toward the antidote on the table. "Nasty bugger, that poison. I've never seen anything like it, in all my years."  
  
"I'm honestly surprised it didn't happen sooner." Tosh frowned. "With all the stuff that falls through the Rift, I'm surprised none of us have touched something that either hurt us, poisoned us or killed us yet."  
  
"Yeah." Owen looked down at her, slipping his fingers in under the hem of her shirt and gently trailing the tips over the skin he found there as he took in her troubled look. "Ianto's going to be fine, Tosh."  
  
"I know." She turned her head to look up at him. "This is just the start though, isn't it. I think Bellic's more dangerous than we assume."  
  
"Well, we haven't seen him properly in action yet, now have we." Owen shrugged. "We just won't underestimate him, that's all. Make sure we watch our backs, find ways around his armour and hunt the bastard down and we'll be fine."  
  
"You make it sound so easy."  
  
"Be nice if it was." He snorted. "Make for a change, anyway."  
  
They fell into a comfortable silence, Tosh closing her eyes and smiling as she felt Owen kiss the top of her head. In the distance Myfanwy let out a soft screech, the Hub otherwise silent save for the occasional distant tapping as Gwen continued to work on her own project having returned to her desk, and the soft snores from Rhys on the Hub sofa.  
  
The sound of a beeping caused them to look up, Gwen saying their names. Owen stood, offering Tosh a hand who allowed him to pull her to her feet. He stole a quick kiss, Tosh laughing and returning it just as quick before they moved up the stairs, Tosh reaching back and finding Owen's hand. He smiled at her, squeezing it gently as they moved to where Gwen had returned to her desk and was punching buttons furiously.  
  
"What is it?" Tosh asked as they stopped behind her.  
  
"That search program we had running to monitor the news reports," Gwen replied. "Apparently there was something on the early news."  
  
Gwen opened the link, bringing up the video and switching on the sound so they could all hear it. Behind them Rhys had woken, pushing himself up and listening with a frown on his face. As the report ended, they exchanged looks, Gwen clearing her throat.  
  
"I'll see if I can locate their source."  
  
Tosh stepped over to her computer, opening up her tracker program and swinging around to look at them. "I have a signal. I can track them."  
  
"Antidote is done," Owen said, heading back toward the autopsy bay. "Just need to distribute it and load up the kits."  
  
"I'll call Jack," Gwen said, reaching for her mobile. "He just better let us help out this time."  
  
***  
  
Gwen, Tosh and Owen looked up as the SUV pulled in, Jack and John climbing out. Jack ran his gaze over them, glancing quickly at John then up at the factory that they were parking in the shadow of. Jack joined them, straightening his coat and frowning.  
  
"Where's Rhys?"  
  
"Sent him home," Gwen replied. "He wanted to come with us but I talked him out of it. I told him to go drinking with Daf since he hasn't in a while and his mates were calling the other day wondering if I was keeping him cooped up now that he's married."  
  
"If you weren't working for Torchwood, he probably would be," Owen said with a smirk, earning himself a punch to the arm.  
  
"How's Ianto?" Tosh asked.  
  
"He's fine," Jack said, glancing quickly at John noting that the other man was preoccupied by a reading on his wrist device. Jack looked back at Tosh and smiled. "We practically had to lock him in the bedroom to keep him from coming with us."  
  
"Would have tied him down only he'd have enjoyed it too much," John said, closing his device and looking up toward the factory. "The transmission sub station is causing too much interference to give me an accurate reading. Probably why he picked the place."  
  
"The signal definitely originated from here," Tosh said, looking at her PDA.  
  
"The news report from this morning said that a Real Estate Agent brought a buyer here to inspect the property and they were attacked by a robot," Gwen said, handing Jack her own PDA so that he could read the transcript of the report. "The Agent escaped with several stab wounds but walked away; the buyer wasn't so lucky. They pulled him out of the bay 10 minutes ago."  
  
"How he die?" Jack asked.  
  
"They're taking the body back to the coroners for a proper autopsy," Owen said. "Apparently all his internal organs were missing. Seems at first glance they were removed with surgical procession."  
  
"Well, Bellic was a doctor as well as a scientist," Jack said. "Does all his surgery on himself. He'll probably sell the organs on the black market to help build up his funds."  
  
"I'll put a trace on it when we get back to the Hub," Tosh said. "I might be able to find his bank accounts and freeze them."  
  
"That'd hurt him," John said with a smile, then turned to Gwen. "Oh, and you might want to give the coroner a call about the body. Bellic tends to put bombs into the bodies of people he fillets."  
  
Gwen looked up sharply. "He what?"  
  
In the distance they heard an explosion, causing them all to turn sharply in the direction of the bay. Above the rooftops of the neighbouring factories they could see a black cloud beginning to drift into the air, easily distinguished from the white, fluffy clouds that were spread evenly across the sky.  
  
"Never mind," John said. He sighed, shrugging it off and reaching for his gun. "Anyway, shall we?"


	12. Chapter 12

At first glance, the factory appeared to be empty. There were a few puddles resting stagnant in random places, caused from where the rain had leaked in through holes in the roof. There was a musty smell to the air, underlined by a smell of rust, mould and mildew. The interior was a vast, open area, with only a few supports for the roof breaking up the openness.  
  
"Why anyone would want to buy this dump is beyond me," Owen muttered as he scanned the area, lowering his gun. "Clear!"  
  
"There's nothing here," Gwen agreed, lowering her own gun and reaching for her Bluetooth. "Jack? Bellic isn't here.”  
  
" _Yeah, we've got nothing either. Wait where you are and we'll join you. Contact Tosh in the meantime. She might have something._ "  
  
"Copy that." Gwen looked back at Owen. "He wants us to wait here. They've got nothing either."  
  
"Figures," Owen growled, leaning against a strut.  
  
Gwen reached for her earpiece again. "Tosh? Have you got anything?"  
  
" _I've managed to isolate the interference from the sub station, but I'm still not picking anything up from the factory. Whatever was transmitting before is either offline or in a different part of the building outside my limited range._ "  
  
Owen frowned, tapping his own earpiece. "Limited range? What do you mean?"  
  
" _In order to isolate the sub station interference I had to narrow the scope of the scanner, so now its range only includes the factory floor and the main office where Jack and John are. There is another building just behind where you are which is probably the workers room or planning office, but the scanners won't extend that far at their current setting and I can't move the SUV any further toward them as there is no access_."  
  
"Brilliant." Owen sighed heavily.  
  
"Thank you, Tosh," Gwen said, looking toward Owen wearily. "I'll let Jack know."  
  
" _I'm sorry I can't be more help._ "  
  
"You can't help it," Gwen said. "Bellic probably chose this location for those exact reasons. There's nothing anyone can do. Even John's scanners wouldn't work, remember?"  
  
" _I suppose._ " They heard her sigh. " _Be careful._ "  
  
"Always am, Sweetheart." Owen replied, glancing up as Jack and John appeared in through the near doorway. "Just keep an eye out for Bellic and his robots. That's the only way out of here."  
  
" _I will._ "  
  
"Tosh can't help us," Gwen said, looking up at Jack. "There's a third building but it's outside of her range."  
  
"I've still got nothing," John said, glancing at his wrist strap with a frown. "I'd love to take out that sub station, I tell you."  
  
"We've been over this," Jack said, shooting him a glare. "You're not sending Cardiff into a blackout just so you can hunt one man, no matter how dangerous he is."  
  
"Oh come on." John scowled. "You can't tell me you haven't done it before."  
  
"The Mayor gets pissed when we do," Owen said, noting Gwen's sharp look and ignoring it. "What's the plan, Jack? We heading for that third building or what?"  
  
"We're going." Jack reached for his own ear piece. "Tosh, do you have anything on the layout of that last building?"  
  
" _I looked up the blueprints for the warehouse, and unless the building has been altered since its original design there are two entrances. The front door is just to the East of where you are, with an emergency exit on the North wall. There's no power to the facility so there should be no alarms on either door._ "  
  
"Thanks." Jack turned to Gwen and Owen. "You two take the emergency door. John and I'll go in the front."  
  
"Which one's he more likely to have covered?" Gwen asked.  
  
"Both, now move."  
  
***  
  
A naive person would think, given the fact that they hadn't yet run into any trouble, that their approach had thus far gone undetected, but Jack wasn't naive. He knew Bellic. No doubt from the moment the others had left the Hub Bellic had been monitoring them, watching their approach with dry amusement and waiting to spring his trap.  
  
"So..." John said as they moved toward the main door of the third building, watching as Gwen and Owen disappeared around the corner toward the other entrance. "Robots, explosions, gas or some other little surprise. What are you putting your money on?"  
  
Jack set his jaw, casting John a measured look and receiving one in return. They'd both come to know Bellic well enough to know to expect something, and that they should be ready for anything. Jack let out a long breath, silently cursing Bellic and wishing this would all be over soon, and that maybe, just maybe, Bellic wasn't ready for them at all.  
  
Jack knew better than to expect that.  
  
" _Jack, we're in position._ "  
  
Jack nodded toward John as they took up position on either side of the doorway, weapons ready. Jack raised a hand to his ear, hitting the button. "Gwen, Owen, on three. One. Two. Three!"  
  
John planted a firm kick on the door sending it backward off its hinges, the wood cracking further as it hit the tiled floor. Jack swept into the building, gun raised as he scanned the area, noting that it was one large room. There were dark shadows on the carpeted area where desks had once stood, and just to his right there were kitchen facilities.  
  
He spotted Gwen and Owen out the corner of his eye, noting that just behind where they stood there were smaller doors distinctly labelled as 'Mens', 'Ladies', and 'Cleaners'. There was a fine layer of dust to the air and no sign of any robot, but Jack's attention was immediately drawn to the counter against the far wall, directly across from his team.  
  
Bellic didn't move, instead keeping his eye on his watch. "Took you longer than I expected. But then, you are working with far more primitive technology to what you're used too."  
  
John stepped forward, glaring at the other. "I'm getting sick of your games, Fred."  
  
"Pity." Bellic's single gaze came up to rest on him. "I haven't finished playing them."  
  
Jack raised a hand toward Owen and Gwen, signalling for them to stay where they were. He clenched his jaw, bringing himself around so that he had a better shot at Bellic's weak throat. "These people have done nothing to you, Bellic. Why are you killing them?"  
  
"Because it's fun, why else?" Bellic's gaze moved to him, then glanced quickly at Owen and Gwen. "So these are your team then. Owen Harper and Gwen Cooper I presume. And that would be Toshiko Sato out in the SUV, am I correct? So nice to meet you."  
  
"Yeah, well we escaped your little attack," Owen hissed. "We're not that easy to kill."  
  
"I never ordered my robots to kill you," Bellic said, smiling faintly. "I ordered them to scare you. To chase you back to Cardiff so that you were all in one place. The only person I ordered them to kill was Ianto Jones." He glanced back at Jack. "Your taste in lovers is improving, by the way. Good looks _and_ smart. He was a fine one."  
  
Gwen shook her head. "Why? Why him?"  
  
"I'm not an idiot." He shot John a look. "I've heard about the Plasmavore. Carshy are not easy to kill, and Jones killed two. I know you trained him, Captain Hart, and from my own observations I saw he was a threat. Besides," he levelled his gaze on Jack. "You can't die, but your friends can."  
  
Jack growled. "If you hurt anyone else I'll–"  
  
"What, Captain?" Bellic leaned toward him. "I've outsmarted you once, Jack, I can do it again. Everybody knew you were the brains. That's what made you so dangerous as a Time Agent. That's why I was so pleased when I heard it was you that was hunting me. I was worthy of the best, and I almost killed you. Who else can say that, eh?"  
  
"We're not here to play your games," John said, finger tightening on the trigger. "This ends, Fred, and believe me I'm going to make sure you die slowly."  
  
Bellic chuckled. "You had your chance. You could have killed me on that space station, but your weakness, your _love_ , for Captain Harkness was your downfall. No, you won't kill me."  
  
John's eyes narrowed. "You're certainly sure of that."  
  
"I've already killed Ianto Jones." Bellic's smirk widened as he pointed toward John. "You're next."  
  
"Nope, sorry." John shrugged. "Not going to happen."  
  
He pulled the trigger, everyone jumping at the sound of the loud crash as the window behind Bellic smashed in. Before the glass even hit the ground a robot had planted itself between Bellic and John, the bullet ricocheting off the robot’s outer casing and smashing into the inactive 'Exit' sign above Gwen and Owen's heads.  
  
When Jack swung back around to look at Bellic he found the other man perched in the broken window, his blue LED eye bright as it blazed toward Jack. Bellic smiled. "I suggest you run." Then he was gone.  
  
"If the robot poisons us, I've got the antidote in the car," Owen said, weapon trained on the robot as he reached for his ear. "Tosh, Bellic's heading your way. Watch yourself."  
  
Jack frowned as he observed the robot, the machine straightening and seeming to lock itself into position. Jack's eyes narrowed at the back of his mind he heard Tosh's affirmative in his ear, Jack focussed on the robot’s eyes as they began to pulse.  
  
"Jack?" John watched him, frowning. "We going after him or what?"  
  
"You seeing this?" Jack asked, nodding toward the robot.  
  
John looked toward it, his eyes widening. "He didn't."  
  
"He did." Jack took a step back. "Gwen, Owen, get back to the SUV. Go!"  
  
Owen lowered his weapon. "What?"  
  
"That things a bomb!"  
  
They didn't need to be told twice.  
  
***  
  
Tosh let out a sharp cry as the SUV lurched violently, ducking her head to shield her eyes against the bright light pouring in the forward window. She spotted a shadow slip by out the corner of her vision, but when she looked up again it was gone.  
  
Carefully Tosh straightened, looking forward sharply and gasping as she spotted the burning wreckage of what had been the warehouse, half the building blown backward by the explosion. Tosh instantly reached for her ear, tapping the earpiece.  
  
"Jack? Owen? Gwen? Can you hear me?"  
  
Hearing no reply, Tosh reached for the computer and keyed open a tracker, only to jump as the door opened.  
  
"Relax," Owen said, sliding into the rear passenger seat and tapping a couple of buttons. "It's just us."  
  
"Oh thank god." She spun in her seat, looking back at him. "Are you all alright?"  
  
"We're fine, Tosh," Gwen said, looking in the car at Owen's screen. "Anything at all?"  
  
"Nothing." Owen sighed, leaning back in the seat and gazing out the door toward where Jack and John were standing back listening. "He's gone. There's a small amount of data where he past the SUV, but that's it."  
  
"What kind of information?" Tosh asked.  
  
"Eh..." Owen hit a few keys and frowned. "Just a basic scan. What he's made of, a surface scan his equipment and all that."  
  
Tosh called the data up onto her screen, analysing it for a few seconds before turning back out to look at the others. "Jack, I think I might be able to use this."  
  
Jack stepped closer to the SUV, leaning in the doorway and gazing at Owen's screen. "You think you can track him?"  
  
"This information should certainly be enough to narrow down the scan," Tosh said, meeting his eye. "Back at the Hub I have a new program that I can use to help isolate him using the information of his physical markers, but it should also allow me to identify what components he's made up on."  
  
"Which would definitely tell us what sort of weapons he's packing," John said, nodding and looking at Jack. "Sounds like a plan to me."  
  
Jack nodded his agreement. "Tosh, have you forwarded the information back to the Hub?"  
  
"Already done," she said, tapping the last key. "The program should already be scanning the data into it. By the time we get back to the Hub it should be ready for me to analyse."  
  
"Right." Jack straightened. "Tosh, Gwen, Owen, I want you three back at the Hub. Tosh, get that scan done and send any details you come up with straight to our PDAs. Owen, as Tosh comes up with a detailed outline of what Bellic's carrying I want you to find any sort of weapon or device that could be used to slow him down, and that includes for his robots."  
  
Owen nodded. "Right."  
  
"Gwen," Jack looked at the last woman. "I want you to get in contact with your friends at the Police Department. Send them a headshot of Bellic and let them know that we want this guy for questioning over all the recent explosions, but tell them they're not to approach him, just to let us know where he is if they see him."  
  
Gwen smiled tightly. "Got it."  
  
Jack looked back in the car. "Tosh, do you think there is enough there already to scan for him in the immediate area?"  
  
"Eh..." Tosh glanced at the computer. "I guess so."  
  
"Okay. John and I will take the SUV and see if we can pick up any trace of him. Now, you three get back to the Hub. Go."


	13. Chapter 13

The sun had already set when John finally slumped back against the SUV passenger seat, sighing heavily and closing his eyes. "I don't want to be the first to admit it, Jack, but he's gone."  
  
"He can't be," Jack said, hitting the right indicator and taking them back onto the main road leading back into the city, a stubborn set to his jaw as he glared out at the empty road in front. "We didn't give him that much time to have a head start."  
  
"I realise that, but we've been driving around for the last five hours. You've already had to fill this thing up once, and if we keep going it’s going to need it again." John stretched, his neck cracking unpleasantly with the movement and causing him to wince. "I don't like staying cooped up for this long and you, of all people, know that."  
  
"The scan should have been enough to pick up some sort of general reading of his location, or at least some trace elements from his mechanics when he past through the city." Jack growled with frustration, fingers clenching the wheel tighter. "He can't have just disappeared on us again."  
  
"Well it certainly seems like he has." John reached out and rested his hand on Jack's knee, feeling the tension in the limb. "Look, let’s head back to the Hub and see how Toshiko is making. And I don't know about you, but I want to head back to Jones' place and shag him senseless."  
  
Jack shot him an unamused look.  
  
"What? Not like you haven't been thinking about it all day." John shrugged when Jack's gaze didn't waver. "Look, he at least needs to know what's going on. It took a lot to convince him to stay there this morning, and if we don't get back and fill him in on what's happening he's going to be out here looking for us, or worse, looking for Bellic himself. He probably saw all those explosions on the news as it is."  
  
Jack sighed, some of the tension draining from his features as he looked back out at the road. "You're right. We can't just keep searching like this. We need to regroup."  
  
"Yeah." John shifted, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing his arms over his chest, gazing at the emptiness in front of them as the streetlights seem to brighten as the last remaining daylight faded from the sky. "I'm getting too old for this."  
  
Jack snorted. "You wait til you get to my age."  
  
"I'll pass on that thanks." He remained silent for a moment, gazing tiredly out the passenger window only to frown at a flickering of light, straightening sharply.  
  
"What is it?" Jack asked. "See something?"  
  
"Not sure." John looked at him and nodded toward the left hand side. "There's not another road over that way, is there?"  
  
"No," Jack frowned. "Couple of houses behind the trees, but that's it. Why?"  
  
"I thought I saw something shiny move." John straightened, looking forward out the window as he saw something out of the corner of his gaze. His eyes widened. "Jack!"  
  
Jack swung to face forward, swearing as he slammed on the brake. The SUV lurched forward as it hit the robot, another slamming into the side of the vehicle and sending the SUV into a hard roll. The last thing John saw was the seatbelt less Jack disappearing out the driver’s side window before the darkness claimed him.  
  
***  
  
Rhys growled as he spotted the flashing police car lights behind him, pulling the lorry over to the side of the road. He sighed as he waited for the officer to approach, frowning as he spotted a familiar face in his side mirror. Rolling down his window he glared at the other.  
  
"What the hell are you playing at? You're a beat cop, not a traffic cop."  
  
"Traffic's a bit short staffed at the moment, so they're pulling in the rest of us." Andy Davidson smiled tightly, gazing toward the passenger seat. "It's just you then?"  
  
"Gwen's at work."  
  
"At this hour?"  
  
"At all hours. Special Ops." Rhys rolled his eyes. "On call all the time, I tell you."  
  
"Bit like that for us at the moment," Andy admitted, gesturing for Rhys to climb down out of the cab. "Anyway, Gwen called. Got a search on for a suspect they want to question. Got to search everything, particularly lorries."  
  
"Fair enough, I suppose." Rhys gestured for him to go ahead. "Be my guest."  
  
Andy gave him a sidelong look as he moved toward the back of the lorry, Rhys smirking and crossing his arms as he watch Andy pull open the rear doors. He chuckled as Andy's eyes went impossibly wide, the other man's mouth dropping open as he stared at the contents of the truck.  
  
"What's the matter, Davidson? Never seen a dildo before? Never seen a bad porn film?" Rhys chuckled. "And here I thought you'd seen plenty of blow-up dolls. Probably with Gwen's face on them, mind, which I don't approve of since she's my wife and all–"  
  
"Your lorry is full of sex toys!" Andy said, pointing inside.  
  
"You noticed. That's some fine police work, that." Rhys moved to the back of the truck and pushed the doors closed again, snapping the catch shut. "Didn't think we only hauled meat and boxes of cereal did you?"  
  
"But..." Andy stared at him. "Sex toys?"  
  
"Harwood's Haulage. We haul anything." Rhys patted the truck. "Shipping from the port to the main warehouse of one of the leading adult stores. Mind you, I've made a point not to tell Gwen's boss I do this, so don't you even think about letting him know, got that?"  
  
The heat was slowing beginning to fade from Andy's face as they moved back toward the cabin, Andy frowning. "Any particular reason you don't want him to know?"  
  
"Believe me, mate, sometimes the less you know the better." Rhys leaned back against the cabin door, watching him. "So how's it going being a traffic cop, then? Enjoying the step up?"  
  
"Wouldn't really call it a step up," Andy admitted, glancing at the quiet road around them. "They've stuck me on this piece of road because hardly any traffic comes down here after peak hour."  
  
"But that's good, ain't it?" Rhys frowned. "Means you can just sit back and eat the packet of chips you keep in the glove box."  
  
"How did you... doesn't matter. Gwen told you." Andy shook his head, sighing. "Quiet piece of road, sure. Means there's no one around if something goes wrong."  
  
"Should keep your radio on your belt," Rhys suggested. "Don't have as far to go to put in a call for back up, then."  
  
"Usually do keep it on my belt, but I kept sitting on the bloody thing." Andy gave him the once over. "Don't see you with a radio. With the way you keep getting into trouble these days I'd thought you'd have one."  
  
Rhys flipped his phone out of his pocket and showed Andy, before dropping it back. "Got all of Gwen's workmates on speed dial, just in case."  
  
"But aren't they the reason you're always in trouble?"  
  
Rhys conceded the point. "I suppose it keeps things interesting. Besides, if I got killed Gwen would probably find some way of bringing me back long enough to kill me herself."  
  
Andy frowned. "Bring you back?"  
  
Rhys' brows rose slightly. "It's Gwen."  
  
"Oh, aye. If someone could do that, she'd bloody well give it a shot, I'll admit." Andy glanced around. "I'd still rather it that I wasn't working this alone."  
  
It was Rhys' turn to frown. "Aren't you supposed to have a partner?"  
  
Andy nodded. "He took a piece of shrapnel to the back this morning when the coroner van blew up and they're keeping him overnight. Gwen didn't say anything about that to you, did she?"  
  
"Only to keep a wide berth to coroner vans." Rhys glanced around them again, before returning his gaze to Andy. "Look, when do you get off?"  
  
Andy glanced at his watch. "In about three hours. I clock off at midnight."  
  
"Staying here?"  
  
"As far as I know."  
  
"Right." Rhys glanced up toward a nearby light pole, noting the black orb projecting out of its side. "Look, I've give Gwen a call. She and her mates will keep an eye on you and come to your rescue if something does happen. Or at least call for backup."  
  
Andy blinked. "You'd do that?"  
  
"I might not like it, but Gwen still talks fondly of you." Rhys shrugged. "And who am I to put you in danger because of a rivalry I clearly won."  
  
Andy's eyes flashed. "I never did work out what exactly Gwen sees in you."  
  
"Yeah, whatever, mate. I love her, and I married her, and I intend on keeping it that way."  
  
Andy watched as Rhys pulled open the door of the lorry. "And how do you know she's not sleeping with that boss of hers. Most of the girls at the PD have a thing for him."  
  
"Nah, she's over that." Rhys pulled himself up into the lorry. "Besides, if she did it would probably only be if we were invited into a foursome."  
  
Andy looked up sharply. "A what?"  
  
Rhys smiled and shrugged, sliding the keys back into the ignition. "Like I said: the less you know."  
  
"Right." Andy frowned and scrutinised the other man. "I reckon you've been spending too much time with Gwen's lot."  
  
Rhys laughed. "Probably."  
  
Andy shook his head and smiled, giving him a quick wave and turning to leave, only to stop dead as he spotted silver. "What the hell is that?"  
  
Rhys looked up, spotting the robot and swearing. "Don't move."  
  
Andy reached for his gun, bringing it up to point at the robot. Rhys reached into the glove compartment of the truck, drawing out the Torchwood issue semi-automatic handgun and flipping the safety off. He saw Andy glance back at him as he slid out of the truck, Andy doing a double take as he spotted the weapon.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just shut up and listen," Rhys said, keeping a steady hand as he trained the gun on the robot. "Come back toward the truck. Forget the car, just get back here."  
  
"What is it?" Andy asked, inching backward. "It's one of Torchwood's things, isn't it?"  
  
"It doesn't matter. It's dangerous. That's all you need to know." Rhys gritted his teeth. "Get back here, Davidson!"  
  
Andy didn't need to be told twice, taking a step toward the cab. It was at that moment the robot moved, sweeping forward and brushing Andy aside and slamming him into the side of the lorry. Rhys swore, emptying his gun, eyes widening as the bullets ricocheted off the outer casing.  
  
As he pulled himself up into the truck, he targeted the eye and fired again, laughing as the LED light of the eye shattered and the robot faltered. He grinned, only to swear again as he realised that the gun was empty. He threw himself back into the truck, only to have cold steel wrap around his leg and draw him back.  
  
The gun fell from his fingers as Rhys flayed for a hold on the truck, only to have his fingers slip on the cold metal. Rhys found himself falling to the ground, the bitumen rushing up toward him as he threw his arms out to catch himself, only for the robot to control his fall so that any chance of preventing himself from hitting his head was lost.  
  
Before the darkness and pain took over, Rhys' last thought was about just how much Gwen was not going to like this when she found out.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack woke with a harsh gasp, eyes flying open as the pain of returned life tore through him. He dropped back, catching his breath as he waited for his memory to catch up with the rest of him, the image of the robot on the road and the sound of shredding metal and shattering glass returned to him.  
  
Jack sat up quickly, wincing and reaching for his shoulder to draw out a stubborn shard of glass and tossing it aside. He pushed himself up, dusting his coat and frowning as more glass sprinkled to the ground. He spun, noting the strewn wreckage and wincing when he finally spotted what was left of the SUV.  
  
 _Ianto's going to be pissed. No way can that be repaired_.  
  
Jack moved toward the SUV, glancing around and making sure that the robots were gone, before focussing his attention on the wreckage. "John?"  
  
He widened his step, hearing no reply. He circled the wreckage until he reached the passenger door, the SUV having righted itself at the end of it' roll, the reinforced roof crushed in half way. Jack gripped the doorframe, gazing in and spotting the unmoving figure. "John!"  
  
John was a mess, Jack swallowing hard as he took in the amount of blood on his former partner slumped in his seat. Jack reached in through the shattered window searching for John's pulse; Jack's own heart began to race as he couldn't locate it. Jack leaned in through the door, ignoring the remaining glass of the door cutting into his hands as he tried to listen for John's breathing.  
  
"Oh god."  
  
Jack threw himself back, catching hold of the door and using all his strength to wrench it backward. It gave slightly, Jack repeating his movements twice more before the metal finally gave and the door came open, Jack reaching inside and quickly moving to free John.  
  
As he drew John out, Jack found himself moaning under his breath at the sight of the damage. Jack reached for his comm as he stretched John out on the ground, making sure the limbs were straight as he checked once more for pulse and breath and finding none.  
  
"Owen!"  
  
***  
  
Owen looked up sharply at the voice in his ear, registering the pain in it at once and instantly knowing something was very wrong. He dropped the gun down onto the boardroom table and reached for his earpiece. "Jack, what's happened?"  
  
" _The robots... they came out of nowhere and attacked us..._ " he heard Jack struggling on the other end. " _John's dead._ "  
  
Owen felt the blood drain from his face as he swallowed hard. "No heart or no breathing?"  
  
He saw Gwen and Tosh look up sharply with wide eyes.  
  
" _Both._ "  
  
"How long?"  
  
" _I don't know._ "  
  
Owen let out a long breath. "Jack, I need to you to begin CPR. I'll bring my kit and track the SUV to your location."  
  
" _The SUV's a wreck, I'm not sure if the tracker still works._ "  
  
"Your comm signal then." Owen caught the GPS Tosh slid toward him, a signal already reading from it. "I'm on my way now. Just keep up the CPR til I get there."  
  
He ended the call, pushing himself to his feet and glancing at the others. "Robots attacked them, wrote the SUV off. John's not responding. No heartbeat; no breathing."  
  
Tosh looked at Gwen. "Bellic did say John was next."  
  
"I'm sure its just coincidence," Gwen said, looking at Owen. "You better get going. We'll keep things covered until you get back."  
  
Owen was already out the door before she finished speaking, and had already rounded the bend meaning he didn't hear Gwen's phone ring.


	15. Chapter 15

Jack's own heart was still thudding in his ears as he continued to work on John, Jack ignoring the pain in his hands. He could feel the angry tears burning in his eyes, not yet ready to lose yet another of his lovers. He and John had always had something of a hot and cold relationship. It had been all sparks and fire, and they'd ended up both being burned, only for that flame to kick up again because they just had that connection.  
  
Bellic knew exactly how to hurt him, that was sure. First Ianto, who Jack had finally begun to admit he'd fallen hard in love with, and now John, who Jack had always loved in his own way. Jack hated to think just who would be next, but he had a feeling it would be Gwen and he wasn't about to let that happen.  
  
Jack didn't know how long he was there, didn't know how long John had been unresponsive, but he knew that he wasn't going to quit until someone told him to. John could have died on impact, or he could have bled out. If the former was true, and Jack had been out of it for a long time, even if he did revive John the man could be brain damaged. If it were the latter, then all this was pointless.  
  
Jack started as he felt a movement, instantly reaching for John's throat and laughing as he felt the faint beat. He looked down, the smile fading as it dawned on him that John still wasn't breathing. Jack instantly went back to giving him mouth-to-mouth, glancing up as he heard tyres squeal on the bitumen.  
  
He looked up as Owen threw himself out of the car, the other man swearing as he assessed the situation, reaching in and grabbing his kit from the car and jogging over. "Jack?"  
  
"I've got a heartbeat but he's still not breathing," Jack said, sitting back as Owen dropped to his knees and assessed the situation. "I got killed too. I don't know how long I was out of it."  
  
"Right. Let's just get him breathing before we do anything else, all right?" Owen checked the pulse, glancing at Jack quickly and trying to force two quick breaths into John's airway, watching his chest and frowning. "Did you check his airway?"  
  
"First thing I did," Jack shook his head. "There's was a little blood, that's all."  
  
"Well there's something still blocking it. Not all the air is going through." Owen shifted, catching hold of John's shoulders. "Help me roll him."  
  
"Careful," Jack said, catching hold of John before he rolled too far. "He's a mess. I don't know how badly he's hurt."  
  
"Jack." Owen looked up at him. "He's dead. I think that pretty much sums up how bad it is. Now stop protecting your other boyfriend and let me do my job, okay?"  
  
Jack backed off, watching as Owen made a fast assessment of John. After a couple of seconds Owen tilted John's head, muttering to himself as pressing on John's back. Jack blinked as more blood trickled out of John's throat, Owen waiting until it eased before flipping open his kit and finding the mask to avoid having to make contact with John's mouth.  
  
Jack watched as Owen returned to forcing the air into John's lungs, checking his pulse once to make sure it was still beating. He saw a line begin to work its way onto Owen's forehead and knew it wasn't a good sign. Then Jack's eyes widened as John suddenly lurched, Owen sitting back quickly and rolling the man back onto his side as more blood erupted from his mouth.  
  
"He's got to have punctured a lung or something," Owen muttered, shaking his head as he waited for John to settle, the injured man now breathing on his own in shallow, ragged breaths. "There's too much blood to be otherwise."  
  
"Think that's what killed him?" Jack asked.  
  
Owen nodded. "That or he died on impact. Honestly, I'd rather die from a severe impact than choking on my own blood. Anyway, let’s get him back to the Hub."  
  
Jack frowned. "Don't you mean hospital?"  
  
"Jack," Owen shot him a look, "if he's from the 51st Century, then chances are he's got the same whacked out blood work as you. The last thing we need is U.N.I.T. getting their hands on him. Besides, no matter how long you were dead, John wasn't breathing for over three minutes either way and stands a high risk of brain damage. Now if you remember right three weeks ago we had that item fall through the Rift that you said repairs recent brain trauma, but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet."  
  
Jack pointed downward. "You want to try it on John?"  
  
"What's he got to lose?" Owen shrugged, reaching into his kit and beginning to work on patching up John's other injuries enough for transport. "If it works, brilliant. If it doesn't, he'll probably start trying to top himself anyway or begging you to do it."  
  
Jack conceded the point. "All right. We'll take him back to the Hub." Jack reached for his earpiece as he left Owen to his work. "Toshiko – we need someone out here clearing up the mess. I'd ask Ianto but..."  
  
" _I'll get right on it._ "  
  
Jack looked back at Owen. "Need help?"  
  
"I'll need you to back to car up in a sec. We're going to have to lift him in." Owen glanced down at John as he continued to splint the injured man's shattered left arm. "I hope you stay unconscious, mate, because this is going to hurt."  
  
***  
  
Tosh looked up at the sound of footsteps in the corridor, spotting Jack moving toward the boardroom. Feeling a slight sense of relief knowing that he was back, she returned her attention to her work. "I sent the usual people to clean up the scene. They said it should take them less then an hour. They're taking what's left of the SUV to the warehouse. We can handle it from there."  
  
Jack nodded, dropping heavily into the seat at the end of the boardroom table and rubbing his eyes, gazing at but only half seeing the information playing across the screen on the back wall.  
  
Tosh watched him out the corner of her eye, noting the weariness etched into his features, the blood still clinging to his clothing. "How's John?"  
  
Jack shook his head, sighing heavily. "Owen's got him down in infirmary trying to reverse any brain damage. Even if he does pull through it's going to take him a while to get back on his feet." Jack looked up, meeting her eye with an openness she hadn't seen from him before, and the fear in them scared her. "I've never seen him like that before, Tosh. I've seen him banged up but not..."  
  
"I'm sure we'll make Bellic pay for it," she assured him. "It's the least we can do."  
  
He nodded, staring at a spot on the table for a long while. Eventually a frown crossed his face and he looked up, glancing around. "Where's Gwen?"  
  
"I sent her to find some weapons I remember us putting in the Vault three years ago."  
  
"Weapons that will help us?"  
  
"It's possible. I'll need to run some tests first." Tosh frowned. "Honestly, I used it more as an excuse to get her out of here. Her pacing was beginning to drive me mad."  
  
Jack frowned. "Pacing?"  
  
"Not long after Owen left she got a call from Andy," Tosh glanced at him. "Apparently Bellic's robots attack him while he was searching Rhys' lorry. Andy was knocked unconscious, and when he came around Rhys was gone. It would seem the robots took him."  
  
Jack's shoulders slumped as he sighed heavily. "Bellic knows Gwen's second in command, and would know by now that Rhys is her weakness. I should have seen this coming!"  
  
"Jack, none of us can predict Bellic." Tosh looked back at her computer. "Anyway, it would appear Rhys managed to get some rounds off, and given Andy's report about fragments he found that it would appear Rhys successfully took out at least one of the robots eyes."  
  
Jack nodded. "So your theory that the eyes are the weak point if shot at from close range is correct."  
  
"Apparently so." Tosh looked at him. "It hurt them, but obviously it didn't shut it down. I've been running a diagnostic on the data readings I obtained at the factory. Knowing what I know now, I should know by around midday how to at least slow them down."  
  
Jack nodded toward the screen. "Is that what you're doing at the moment?"  
  
"No, actually." Tosh looked up. "I've used the readings and information we received at the factory, and combined it with all the sightings we've seen of the robots and Bellic. By putting them all together I think I may have narrowed down his location."  
  
Jack straightened. "You 'think'?"  
  
"I can't be sure." Tosh looked back at him. "The CCTV footage in the area is limited and there aren't many residents around the area because of the safety issues. A group of teenagers did make a police report about a strange man though. The police brushed it off because the group describe the man as 'The Terminator'."  
  
"That'd be Bellic." Jack rested his gaze on her. "Where is it?"  
  
"It's an old school just on the edge of town," Tosh replied, calling up the location on the map. "It was considered structurally unsound after that Rift generated earthquake a couple of years ago, and the council haven't decided what to do with it yet. The local community wants the school torn down and rebuilt, but there's been some interest shown by developers who want to turn it into a housing estate."  
  
Jack frowned, gesturing to the picture. "Is that a church?"  
  
Tosh nodded. "It was a Catholic school. Why? Is that important?"  
  
"Bellic thinks he's God," Jack said, scowling. He sighed, pushing himself up. "Tosh, I want you to send the exact location to the GPS in Gwen's car."  
  
Tosh blinked. "How come? You're not thinking about going after him, are you?"  
  
"Bellic has Rhys. The sooner we get Rhys out of there, the higher the chance we can rescue him alive and in one piece."  
  
"But we don't know what weapons will work on him yet!"  
  
"Tosh, we don't have time." Jack glanced at his watch. "If we move now Gwen and I can be there in an hour. If we come in from the West he shouldn't be able to detect us, and he won't be expecting us this early anyway. We'll catch him off guard."  
  
"But by kidnapping Rhys he _will_ be expecting you."  
  
"We'll take that chance." Jack moved toward the door and looked back. "We'll go in under comm silence in case he's monitoring us. We should be back by midday."  
  
"But Jack!"  
  
He was already gone.


	16. Chapter 16

Most of the car ride toward the abandoned school was in silence, both lost in their own thoughts as they moved easily through the traffic. Jack was driving, Gwen sitting beside him chewing on a nail as she gazed out the side window at the passing scenery, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
Jack glanced at her from time to time, and it wasn't until they had left the city limits and were on a quieter road that he broke his silence. "Are you all right?"  
  
Gwen made a small noise at the back of her throat. "I should be asking you that."  
  
"My husband isn't the one whose been kidnapped."  
  
"No, but your boyfriend was poisoned and almost killed, and your former partner, who you obviously still care about, is lying fighting for his life and possibly brain damaged back at the Hub." Gwen looked toward him for the first time since they’d gotten into the car. "You almost lost them both, Jack."  
  
Jack watched her for a moment, before looking forward again to make a turn. "That's why I intend to get Rhys back, before anything can happen to him. I don't want you going through this."  
  
Gwen stared down at her hands. "Thank you."  
  
Jack nodded, his fingers tightening on the wheel. They continued to travel in silence, the old school coming into view at the end of the street. Gwen glanced at him out the corner of her eye, Jack seeing it but paying it no mind, instead keeping his attention on the road and building ahead.  
  
"Jack." Gwen set her jaw, eyes never leaving his face. "Who do you think is next?"  
  
"That doesn't matter," Jack said quickly.  
  
"But it does." Gwen frowned. "He's targeting people that you care about, Jack. We need to be able to work out whose next so that–"  
  
"Bellic's not even going to have a chance to find whose next," Jack said, cutting her off and shooting her a glare. "We're going to stop him before he gets the opportunity."  
  
Gwen nodded, chewing her lower lip as she pulled up the layout of the old school on her PDA. "There's no CCTV in the area so Bellic probably doesn't know we're coming. There are two main entrances at the front and rear, and the council has erected a fence around the main buildings to keep people out."  
  
"He'll probably have that wired," Jack said, pulling the car over just shy of the block of the school. "Are there any other ways in?"  
  
"Not according to this." Gwen frowned. "The council did put in a gate for easy access, though. It's not big enough for a vehicle, but it is for us."  
  
"We'll go that way then." Jack reached into his coat, pulling out a standard issue Torchwood firearm and snapping on a silencer, Gwen doing the same beside him. "You ready?"  
  
"You know I am," she said, opening her door.  
  
They left the car, moving down the remaining part of the street and keeping their weapons concealed so not to alert any of the neighbours as to what was about to go on. As they walked Jack glanced at her, frowning. Gwen spotted it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did I ever thank you for everything you did for me the year Ianto disappeared?"  
  
Gwen shot him a look. "Jack, if you're saying goodbye–"  
  
"No." He shook his head. "I was thinking about it the other day. I don't recall ever thanking you."  
  
"That's because you didn't." She shrugged, looking forward again. "Don't know why you're thanking me anyway. You spent half your time avoiding me, and the rest not talking to me."  
  
"I don't like sharing my feelings," Jack admitted.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"I was trying to move on, Gwen," Jack said, frowning at a spot at the end of the street. "Trying to figure out exactly what I did wrong that made him leave so I could put it behind me."  
  
Gwen looked up at him. "Did you work it out?"  
  
"Yeah." He shook his head. "He actually had to tell me. I never stopped to think that the way I act, the way I was treating him..."  
  
"But that's all sorted now, right?" Gwen offered him a smile. "I mean, you love each other..."  
  
Jack scoffed.  
  
"What?" Gwen's eyes widened. "He still hasn't said it?"  
  
"He still cringes every time _I_ say it." Jack scowled. "I still don't think he believes me."  
  
"Give him time, Jack." She reached out, catching his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You've got to remember that he's been through a lot. After what happened to Lisa..."  
  
"I guess." Jack sighed. "I just wish he'd talk to me about it. That's the one topic he always avoids."  
  
"Maybe he's trying to suppress the memories," Gwen said. "I saw that a lot when I was with the PD – witnesses and loved ones trying to forget the bad things. It's an ordinary human reaction after a traumatic experience." Gwen smiled tightly. "It's only been a couple of years."  
  
"Yeah, well, bottling it up isn't doing him any favours." Jack slid his free hand into his pocket, scowling. "He's hiding something."  
  
"So are you." Gwen held his gaze when he looked at her sharply. "You're as bad as each other, Jack. You're both private men that don't talk about their feelings with anyone. You just keep bottling it up inside until it will eventually break you." She squeezed his hand again. "I'm sure he'll tell you in time."  
  
Jack nodded, stroking his thumb across the back of her hand in thanks before dropping it as he stopped in front of the gate. He gave it a quick once over, glancing down at his wrist strap and scanning. "You were right, no CCTV at all. It doesn't seem like he has any security measures at all, although..." he glanced at her. "The fence is electrified, so I'd avoid touching it."  
  
"He's done _what_ to the fence." Gwen stared wide-eyed at the networked links of the Council issue barrier. "Children could touch that."  
  
"The current level seems to be more deterrent level than killed level," Jack assured her. "It's still strong enough to give you an unpleasant surprise."  
  
"Well, that explains how he's been keeping everyone out." Gwen pulled out her PDA, looking at the information scrolling across it. "The gates harmless though, right?"  
  
"Just need a set of bolt cutters."  
  
Gwen smiled at him and reached into her jacket, removing the small device and holding it up for him to see. "Owen gave it to me on the way out the door. Said we might need it."  
  
Jack nodded, taking it off her and pressing the tip against the oversized lock. He adjusted the settings, hitting the switch. There was a soft crack, the bolt splitting in half and dropping almost soundlessly onto the grass below. Jack reached forward, pressing a hand to the gate gingerly just to be sure, and finding it un-electrified he swung it open and gestured for Gwen to enter.  
  
Gwen drew her weapon and slipped in first, Jack following and closing the gate behind them. They moved cautiously forward, Gwen glancing at the readout on her PDA and pointing toward the old chapel nestled in beside the rundown schoolhouse. Jack nodded, taking point as they continued to move forward, using shrubbery and play equipment as cover until they reached the main church building.  
  
Gwen pulled out her PDA, showing Jack the layout of the building and tapping a rear doorway that had no doubt been the entrance for the cleaners and priest. Jack nodded, the two moving toward it, forever scanning the area around them and becoming more confused as they found no security measures at all.  
  
Reaching the door, Jack reached forward and gingerly tested the handle. He frowned and shot Gwen a look when it turned, Jack swinging the door open. Gwen returned his look, shifting to the other side of the door and bringing her weapon to bear.  
  
They eased inside, moving slowly and keeping their guns ahead, Gwen spotting the workstation first and pointing it out to Jack. He nodded, checking his wrist device once more and frowning as again he found no sign of any sort of security measure. He approached the workstation, inspecting it for a moment as Gwen checked the rest of the building.  
  
Jack looked up sharply as he realised that the workstation was fake, just a collection of dials and blinking lights. He spun toward Gwen, only to find her staring wide-eyed as a robot carefully extracted itself from a box at the back of the room. Jack brought his weapon up, only to step quickly to the side as the bench containing the fake workstation lurched upward to reveal another metallic beast.  
  
"You know, in the early 21st Century it was very hard to track people." They spun, guns coming up as they spotted Bellic entering via the doorway that they had just come. He waved the guns down. "You know they don't work, so don't bother." He looked at Jack, raising a brow. "Given how long you've been hunting me, Captain Harkness, I'm surprised you never worked it out. I use components from the time that I am in to build my weapons and machines, meaning any sort of scan on that little wrist manipulator of yours is pointless. You, on the other hand..." he brought up a PDA of his own. "All I need to do is configure it to alert me of the presence of alien tech, and hello Torchwood."  
  
"You've known we've been here all the time?" Gwen asked, not lowering her weapon.  
  
"The minute you used those fancy bolt cutters and he started scanning everything with his 51st Century piece of tech, yes." Bellic gestured around them, Jack and Gwen glancing to the side to find themselves surrounded by robots, all means of escape effectively blocked. "Now, unless you want to die Mrs Williams, I think you should both lower your weapons. It's over."


	17. Chapter 17

The Hub entrance rolled almost effortlessly to the side, the flashing yellow light dancing over the interior of the Hub as the alarm trilled his arrival. He stepped inside, eyebrow quirking at the silence. Behind him the entrance closed again as he stepped through the gate, turning and making his way down toward the boardroom.  
  
He could hear Janet and the other occupants of the cells calling for their dinner, Myfanwy squawking her own protest – it would seem no one had fed the pets. He sighed, tossing a quick glare toward the rubbish set around the Hub and making a mental note to give his colleagues a piece of his mind when this was over.  
  
He moved almost silently through the corridors, hearing the tapping of fingers flying on a keyboard before he saw them, Tosh scrutinising her screen while Owen had a series of weapons spread out in front of him, making adjustments. He paused in the doorway, glancing up at the screen and taking in the information.  
  
"You found Bellic then."  
  
Owen and Tosh both jumped, Tosh making a little squeaking noise as Owen swore, both spinning toward him.  
  
"You're supposed to be at home," Owen said, straightening. "And remind us to put a bell on you."  
  
"Are you feeling better, Ianto?" Tosh asked, smiling at him.  
  
He returned the smile, stepping further into the room and casting his gaze around, taking everything in. "So... what have I missed?"  
  
Tosh and Owen exchanged a look, Ianto spotting it and frowning.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"There was an incident," Tosh said carefully.  
  
Ianto narrowed his eyes. "What kind of incident?"  
  
Owen set his jaw. "Let me show you."  
  
***  
  
Ianto stared wide-eyed down at the bed, taking in the many wires and feeds, most of his attention on the device attached to John's head. He reached out, drawing back the light blanket and spotting more injuries, before he turned toward Owen and waited for an explanation.  
  
"The robots attacked them," Owen explained. "Killed them both. Jack managed to revive him, but John choked to death on his own blood. He was without oxygen for a while."  
  
"Brain damage," Ianto observed.  
  
"Because it's only recent I think I can reverse it." Owen moved forward, checking the readout on the piece of alien tech. "That's if I'm working this thing correctly and reading it right."  
  
"Other injuries?" Ianto asked.  
  
"SUV was hit from the left, in the middle of the front passenger door," Owen said. "Crushed him. His left arm and leg are a mess. He's got broken ribs, a fractured right ankle, fractured skull, and don't get me started on the internals."  
  
"You said he choked on his own blood." Ianto frowned. "Punctured lung."  
  
"Right." Owen let out a soft sigh, leaning forward to check the readings on the various monitors. "I couldn't risk him going to a hospital. Mostly because of his 51st Century blood work, but look at him, Ianto. If we'd taken him to a hospital..."  
  
"They would have done what they could, put him on life support and left him," Ianto said.  
  
"In my opinion, it would have been better to not revive him," Owen said. "Nothing against the guy, it's just that..." he shook his head, looking down at John. "If this doesn't work, he's going to be brain damaged for life, and from what I've seen he's completely independent and hates having to rely on people."  
  
"You have no idea." Ianto finally tore his eyes away from John, the fixed impassive look firmly in place. "Any sort of treatment is better than nothing, and you've been wanting to try that device out."  
  
"Let's hope it works."  
  
Ianto nodded, a slight frown crossing his face. "Where are Jack and Gwen?"  
  
"Yeah. Them." Owen scowled, turning and heading back in the direction of the boardroom, Ianto following. "Around the time I got a call from Jack to tell me about the accident, Gwen got a call from Andy to say he and Rhys had been attacked and Rhys had been taken."  
  
"Bellic _has_ been watching us for a while," Ianto observed. "Thought so."  
  
"Yeah, well, anyway," Owen crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the spot in from of him as they walked. "By that time Tosh had been able to work out exactly where Bellic is hiding, so...."  
  
Ianto stopped dead. "Don't tell me they went after him."  
  
"Fine then." Owen shrugged. "I won't."  
  
Ianto stared after him, watching as Owen disappeared around the corner before quickly gliding after him, catching up with the elder man just inside the boardroom door. "Do they know yet what exactly they're dealing with?"  
  
"What they're dealing with, yeah," Owen said, dropping into his seat and stretching out his legs, a resigned look on his face. "How to deal with it, no."  
  
"If they'd only bothered to wait three more hours then they would have been fine," Tosh said, looking up from her work. "Jack insisted on leaving right at that moment. He wanted to rescue Rhys and get out of there."  
  
Ianto looked at her, slipping into his own seat. "How long ago was that?"  
  
"Just over five hours ago."  
  
Ianto glanced at his watch. "And where exactly is the location?"  
  
Tosh brought it up on the screen.  
  
"It's outside of Jack and John's primary search area," Ianto observed. "It's around an hour to get there, another hour to get back and they would have at least called on the way back if they were under comm silence going in..."  
  
"Three hours, four hours tops," Owen agreed. "They've been gone for around five and a half, and we haven't heard a word."  
  
Ianto's frown continued to deepen. "So we can only assume they've been captured."  
  
"That's my bet," Owen said, looking up at the screen. "Bellic's probably got sensors all over the place."  
  
"Or at least some sort of scanners," Tosh said. "You must admit the technology we use isn't your average 21st Century kit."  
  
"Going in without waiting for the right weapons was a bad idea," Ianto said. "He must have been acing on impulse after what happened to John, and Gwen was in no position to argue with him."  
  
"And wouldn't have listened anyway," Owen said. "He was almost as bad as he gets when something has happened to you. He starts doing a Gwen and acts purely on emotion."  
  
"Jack's not like that."  
  
"Mate, he's scary." Owen's frown deepened as he watched Ianto. "Trust me; if something’s happened to you, no one gets between Jack and his target."  
  
"He's not the only one that does that," Tosh said softly, watching Ianto cautiously. "I know someone else who gets very protective if their lover is in trouble."  
  
Ianto shot her a look, straightening. "Do you have the weapons now?"  
  
She nodded, her eyes lighting up as she drew a small sphere toward her. "Electro magnetic pulse. It's so obvious I don't know why I didn't figure it out earlier. All I had to do is tune them to the same frequency as the robots, and it should knock them offline."  
  
"Or their shields at least," Ianto said.  
  
"If that's the case, we've got these." Owen reached out to pat an oversized rifle. "Armour penetrating bullets, strengthened to anything beyond what's available on the market. We figure that if we take out the robots, we can get in, grab the others, and get out of there."  
  
"There's no point in doing that unless we take out Bellic as well," Ianto said, looking from one to the other. "If we disable his robots and leave him alive, he'll develop some way around the EMP when he builds the next models."  
  
"What are you saying?" Tosh asked. "We make a move on Bellic now?"  
  
"If we don't, then Gwen and Rhys are as good as dead."  
  
"I'm with Ianto on this one, Sweetheart," Owen said, looking across at Tosh. "We know where he is, we've got the weapons, so we might as well do it."  
  
Tosh leaned toward him. "But he knows we're coming."  
  
"Yeah. Knows _we're_ coming." Owen pointed to the side. "He thinks Ianto is dead."  
  
Tosh looked reluctant. "I suppose..."  
  
"I say we go over what we have and come up with some sort of plan," Owen said, receiving a nod from Ianto. "Then we move in and save their arses."  
  
"What, just us?" Tosh said.  
  
Ianto sighed, looking at her. "Just us."  
  
***  
  
Rhys looked up sharply at the sound of footsteps, moving away from the door slightly just in case the robots came in first. The door opened, Rhys glaring at the metal monstrosity as it stalked into the room, glowing blue eyes casting long shadows over the walls of the windowless room.  
  
Rhys straightened as Bellic entered. "What do you want now?"  
  
"Thought you'd like some company," Bellic said, glancing behind him. "Two guests just arrived, so I thought I'd show them the accommodation. I do hope you don't mind sharing."  
  
Rhys' eyes widened as he saw Gwen and Jack, Rhys levelling his glare on the other man who was glaring daggers at Bellic. Gwen hurried across the room into Rhys' arms, hugging him tight, an embrace he was happy to return though his eyes never left the Torchwood leader.  
  
Bellic smiled. "I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on, so I'll leave you to it." He turned, moving back to the door as the robot left, Bellic pausing once to look back at Jack. "Oh, and Captain." He waited until Jack met his eye. "I'm sorry about what happened to Captain Hart. Such a pity. He was such a worthy rival."  
  
Rhys waited until the door closed and the footfalls had faded before turning on Jack. "What the hell do you think you're playing at?"  
  
"Rhys," Gwen warned.  
  
"Getting yourselves captured?" Rhys set his jaw. "What did you do? Rush in with no plan? You walked straight into a trap. Even I knew that!"  
  
"We couldn't just leave you," Gwen said. "We thought we'd have the element of surprise–"  
  
"Bullocks to that, Gwen." Rhys moved his glare to her. "When I want to be rescued, I want to be rescued properly. Now you're both in here, Ianto and John are down by the sounds of it, and Tosh and Owen are only two people. What can two people do against _them_?" He gestured toward the door.  
  
"You'd be surprised," Jack said softly.  
  
"What surprises me, mate, is how stupid you are." Rhys pointed at Gwen. "You're as bad as she is!"  
  
Gwen's eyes flashed. "Just what do you mean by that?"  
  
"Sometimes you don't think," Rhys told her. "You let your emotions make your decisions and what happens? You cock things up, that's what."  
  
"If we'd just left you here, you'd have become one of Bellic's experiments," Jack said, shooting him a glare. "We couldn't let that happen."  
  
"Yeah, well now we're _all_ his experiments." Rhys looked from one to the other. "Unless, of course, you have some sort of plan for getting out of here."  
  
Jack and Gwen exchanged weary looks, and at once Rhys knew they didn't. He sighed, rubbing his eyes and leaning against the wall.  
  
"Great. Just great."


	18. Chapter 18

"There's Gwen's car," Owen said, pointing up the road as Tosh brought them around the last corner. "Means they came in this way."  
  
"By this there's a pedestrian gate further up the road," Ianto said, looking at his PDA and studying the plan. "I'm guessing that is the way they entered the property." He looked up. "We should find another way in."  
  
"Definitely," Owen said.  
  
"If my theory is correct, Bellic would have traced them using a scan for alien technology. The lock breaker that you gave Gwen, Owen, would be easily traced." Tosh turned the corner at the end of the street, following the road around the back of the school. "We'll have to find a way in using conventional means."  
  
"I brought a bolt cutter," Ianto said, a smirk on his face as he looked at the back of Owen's head. "Make Owen work for it."  
  
Owen frowned, looking back at him. "What do you mean 'make Owen work for it'? Why can't you do it?"  
  
Ianto raised a brow. "I believe your instructions were 'rest', 'don't exert yourself', and ‘no hard labour'."  
  
"Yeah, and you're really listening to me."  
  
"This is just everyday work," Ianto reminded him. "Although I will admit it's been a while since I've had to save Jack's behind."  
  
"Less than a month," Tosh said with a smile.  
  
"We need to fix some sort of device onto that guy that gives him an electric shock every time he puts himself at risk," Owen grumbled, settling back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. "And the same goes for Gwen when she's about to get herself kidnapped again."  
  
"What about Rhys?" Ianto asked.  
  
"Rhys can handle himself better than the pair of them." Owen straightened. "Jack is starting to pick up Gwen's bad habit of acting on emotion, and Gwen is picking up Jack's recklessness. If I didn't know better, I would have thought they were together."  
  
"It does seem that way," Tosh agreed.  
  
"I don't know." Ianto settled back, flicking his gaze from one to the other. "Owen doesn’t seem any smarter to me."  
  
Owen flicked his arm back and smacked Ianto in the leg as Tosh laughed. "You watch yourself," Owen said, shooting Ianto a half-hearted glare. "I could say a lot about you, you know."  
  
"I sure you could, and probably do." Ianto smiled faintly at him. "Jack and Gwen spend a lot of time together out in the field. Besides, we all pick up on each others bad habits."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Well, I do believe half the rubbish I saw lying around the Hub earlier was Tosh's, and she normally picks up after herself." Ianto thought for a long while. "You tend to speak your mind a lot more and stand up to Jack. Gwen's started talking a lot of techno babble..."  
  
"We do all spend a lot of time together down in the Hub," Tosh admitted. "One big family. We just all rub off on each other."  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Owen looked back again. "Seriously though, you're not worried about Gwen and Jack?"  
  
"Jack's only attracted to Gwen," Ianto said, gazing out the window and frowning. "I think he loves her just... more as a friend. Like he does you too."  
  
"But what about Gwen?" Tosh glanced at Owen quickly. "She hasn't backed off, you know. When you're not around..."  
  
"I know." Ianto frowned faintly. "It takes two. Gwen's only one."  
  
"Just hurry up and tell him you love him, mate." Owen glanced back out the window, his voice softening. "I don't know who you're kidding, because it's obvious that you do."  
  
Ianto's eyes tightened as he looked out the window. "We're supposed to be looking for an entry into the school."  
  
"I can see a hole in the fence up ahead," Tosh said. "It may be where the teenagers broke in."  
  
"That'll do," Ianto said. "Saves us having to do anything."  
  
Tosh pulled them over, Owen sitting in the front of the care glaring back at Ianto through narrowed eyes. Ianto noticed him, fidgeting slightly in his seat but doing his best not too. As Tosh reached for her seatbelt, Ianto shot Owen a look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You can't keep running from it, Ianto," Owen said softly. "You can't keep avoiding it. You're going to have to address it sooner or later."  
  
Ianto narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what you mean."  
  
"Yes, you do," Owen said softly, reaching for the door handle. "And it's about time you did something about it."  
  
***  
  
"What I want to know is where you got that gun," Gwen hissed, staring at her husband as Jack continued to inspect the room for a way out. "Tell me, Rhys. You know I said no when you asked."  
  
"If you must know, Owen gave it to me," Rhys said, watching Jack. "Tosh figured that I'd be a target because of our relationship, so she and Owen got me a gun and Owen taught me how to use it."  
  
Gwen's eyes widened. "What do you mean 'a target'?"  
  
"Exactly what he said," Jack said, tugging at the barricade over the window and frowning. "It's already happened more than once."  
  
Gwen spun to glare at him. "You knew about this?"  
  
"I had to sign the forms to say he could have it," Jack said, not looking at her. "Ianto filed the paperwork months ago."  
  
"And nobody decided to tell me," Gwen said, eyes narrowing.  
  
"Well we all knew how you'd react," Rhys said, no doubt sensing the dangerous edge slowly working its way into his wife. "It's not like I go out looking for trouble, Gwen. It's just for when something like this happens."  
  
Gwen glared at him. "I don't want you carrying a weapon, Rhys."  
  
"Well I don't want _you_ carrying one either." Rhys returned the glare. "It's not like you tell me everything, Gwen. You didn't ask me if you could join Torchwood, or to carry a gun, or any of that. When you got involved with Torchwood you got us _both_ involved, whether you like it or not."  
  
"But I don't keep secrets from you, Rhys–"  
  
"Oh, sure you don't." Rhys rolled his eyes. "You've always kept things from me, Gwen. And I usually find out about them too. And I know I've been retconned because it's still in my blood, and just who has access to that?"  
  
Jack paused in his search and looked back, a curious frown on his face as he watched them. Gwen saw him, and pointed an accusing finger Jack's way.  
  
"He told me to do it," she said. "He told me there are some things you don't need to know."  
  
"Gwen, I told you to retcon Rhys so he wouldn't remember Torchwood after the space whale thing, but you didn't," Jack met her glare. "I've never retconned him, and I'm sure the rest of the team haven't."

"Which leaves you," Rhys said, watching Gwen but shooting a quick glare at Jack. "Though it wouldn't surprise me if you did tell her and are now lying about it."  
  
Jack shrugged, resuming his search.  
  
"Rhys," Gwen said softly, eyes wide in her innocent look. "There are things I've done that you don't need to know about."  
  
"Like what, eh?" Rhys didn't bend under her look, used to it after their long years. "Did you shag one of them? Did you shag _him_?" He pointed at Jack.  
  
Jack snorted. "Was already in love with and chasing Ianto when I met her."  
  
"You're an insatiable bastard of a flirt, Jack," Rhys said, shooting daggers his way. "Wouldn't stop you."  
  
"I haven't slept with Jack," Gwen said, shaking her head.  
  
"Yeah, but you're like to, wouldn't you," Rhys accused. "Can see it in your eyes every time you look at him."  
  
"I really think we should be focusing on getting out of here," Jack reminded them, moving to the next window. "Save the domestic for later."  
  
Gwen moved forward, resting her hand on Rhys' chest. "Rhys, there are things I cannot tell you, you must understand that. Besides, a lot of couples have secrets. I'm sure Jack and Ianto don't tell each other everything."  
  
"Keep my personal life out of it, thanks," Jack said.  
  
"Mate, your personal life is what got us into this mess in the first place," Rhys reminded him.  
  
"Ah, no. Professional life." Jack frowned. "My job before this one."  
  
"Something you haven't told anyone about, which makes it a personal life despite what you reckon."  
  
Gwen tightened her hold on Rhys' shirt. "Rhys, please–"  
  
They all looked up as the door opened, Rhys and Gwen moving back as Jack turned away from the window, all watching as Bellic entered the room, a robot slinking just behind him in the shadows. "I do hope you're all making yourselves comfortable."  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes. "If you're here to gloat, Fred, I really don't want to hear it."  
  
Bellic ignored him, reaching out to lay a gloved hand gently on the head of his robot. "I just thought I'd let you know that your communications devices have been blocked, but you already know that. Also, your team appear to still be running a search using the CCTV cameras. I would have thought they would know by now it is just a false path I am laying down for them to follow to their deaths."  
  
"Stop bragging," Jack leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "We've been in worse, and we've survived worse, so don’t get your hopes up."  
  
"I don't need to. I already know I've won." Bellic moved toward him, stopping a foot away. "It's over, Captain Harkness. You and your little friends here are perfect specimens for me, your two other members are going to walk into a booby trap and end up white and red smudges on a wall, and Captain Hart and your precious Jones have already left us. I doubt it has ever been any worse."  
  
Jack set his jaw, fighting to keep his breathing even and not betray his anger. "Why are you here, Bellic? It can't just be for me and John."  
  
"Oh, taking care of you two has been my plan for a long time, believe me." Bellic shrugged as best he could. "But you're right; it's not just about you." He gestured toward the boarded up windows. "Out there, right now, are the ancestors of that bastard that I used to work for."  
  
Jack blinked. "They're from Cardiff?"  
  
"Scotland." Bellic smiled faintly. "They won a competition. A week in Cardiff, all expenses paid, including a game at the stadium and a show at the Millennium Centre."  
  
"That's too much of a coincidence," Gwen said.  
  
"Very observant, Mrs Williams.' Bellic looked at her. "I set up the competition and rigged it for them to win." He returned his gaze to Jack. "I've been here for quite a while. Waiting. Figured I'd take care of you and them at the exact same time."  
  
"You mean you're going to kill them?" Rhys said, eyes widening. "You can't do that."  
  
"What's to stop me?" Bellic gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "No one in the family was of any real significance except for the grandfather of my former boss and the subsequent generations. None of them have any relation to me or anyone of any importance. Killing them will do nothing." Bellic scowled. "Except, perhaps, prevent me from ending up like this."  
  
Jack growled. "The laws of time forbid it."  
  
"No one oversees those laws anymore, Captain Harkness." Bellic snorted. "Time Lords? Just the one left and he’s a little preoccupied with his new companion. Time Agency? Gone. Shadow Proclamation? A joke. They're the ones that let me out."  
  
"Figures," Jack muttered.  
  
"So Captain," Bellic smiled. "I'm going to hunt the family down and kill them slowly. And there's absolutely nothing you or your precious Torchwood can do about it."


	19. Chapter 19

"This is just an ordinary PDA using standard issue military equipment, so it shouldn't read as alien technology," Tosh said, pressing a few buttons as they crouched behind a retaining wall. "By using this I should be able to isolate any heat signatures within the building."  
  
"Can you get a technical reading?" Owen asked, looking over her shoulder at the screen. "Pinpoint Bellic's key work areas?"  
  
"That sort of equipment would generate a good deal of heat, so it will show up." Tosh frowned, tapping the screen. "Here we are. Four humanoid heat signatures in the main building and a larger area here near what was the office." She showed them the screen so they could take in the locations on the map.  
  
"That must be his workshop," Ianto said, frowning. "We need to take that out at the same time as we rescue the others so he doesn't have time to build up a counter strike."  
  
"Tosh and I can handle that," Owen said, looking at Tosh and seeing her nod. "You go and rescue Jack and the others."  
  
Ianto shot him a look. "You're sure?"  
  
"It kinda is your job," Tosh admitted.  
  
"You're always saving his arse," Owen agreed.  
  
"Well maybe if he didn't keep getting himself into these sorts of situations, I wouldn't need to," Ianto said.  
  
"Here." Tosh handed him four small chrome balls from her bag. ”Just in case there are any robots."  
  
"Which there probably will be," Owen said softly.  
  
"There will be more where you're going," Ianto reminded them, slipping the spheres into his pockets.  
  
"We'll be fine," Tosh reassured him, squeezing his arm.  
  
"Meet back at the car in an hour," Owen said, picking up his gun and checking the magazine. "We go in under comm silence."  
  
"We'll have to anyway." Tosh pressed another button on her PDA. "There's some sort of electrical interference that's messing with all communication devices within 50 feet of the buildings. Once we go inside we can't contact one another even if we wanted too."  
  
"Explains why we didn't hear from the others," Ianto said.  
  
"Yeap." Owen stood, stretching. "Ready?"  
  
"One of the heat signatures is moving," Tosh said, looking up sharply. "It's going in the direction of the chapel."  
  
"Probably Bellic," Ianto said.  
  
"We'll avoid the chapel then." Owen offered Tosh a hand, helping her up as they took in the buildings just over a small rise. He glanced to the side toward his colleagues. "Shall we?"  
  
***  
  
"That man is a right arsehole," Rhys muttered as Bellic footsteps faded into the distance. "He can't just go around killing people because of something their great great great great great grandkid does!"  
  
"You'd be surprised how often that happens," Jack said, turning back to his inspection of the boarded up windows.  
  
"What did he mean by all that other stuff, though?" Rhys asked. "Is there some sort of police to stop it?"  
  
"Kinda." Jack frowned. "The Time Lords were the elite of a planet called Gallifrey, but they were more about keeping their own people in order and observing. Their planet was destroyed in a war and now there is only one left. The Time Agency was kind of a secret service who went after criminals who broke any sort of laws against time. Time Agents could travel in time and follow them, but were shut down for so many reasons, and I’m sure I don’t know them all.  
  
"The Shadow Proclamation kinda took over from the both of them. They're just a bunch of idiots who make the laws and don't care about who they hurt to make sure they get the bad guy."  
  
Rhys snorted. "Sounds like you lot."  
  
Jack shot Rhys a glare. "Hey!"  
  
Rhys smiled and winked at him, then realised that Gwen hadn't joined in on their conversation. "Gwen? Love, you alright?"  
  
Gwen continued to stare at the door. "He didn't lock it."  
  
Rhys blinked. "What?"  
  
"He didn't lock the door." Gwen moved over to it slowly, staring at the handle. "Last time it clicked when he locked it, but it didn't. The door isn't locked."  
  
"Well what are we waiting for?" Rhys was by her side in an instant, reaching for the handle. "Let's get out of here."  
  
"Rhys, wait!" Jack crossed the room in two strides, grabbing Rhys wrist to prevent him from turning the knob. "We don't know what's out there. It could be a trap."  
  
"Oh, right, so _now_ you worry about walking into a trap. Bit late for that, mate." Rhys looked at his wife. "Gwen?"  
  
"He's right, Jack. We have to try." Gwen touched Jack's arm near where he held Rhys'. "This might be our only chance."  
  
Jack looked from one to the other, frowning as he saw the look in their eyes and sighed. He let go of Rhys' arm, Gwen dropping his as Jack took a step back, gesturing for Rhys to go ahead. After a quick look at his wife, Rhys turned the handle and pushed the door wide open.  
  
All three of them leapt back as the robot pounced.  
  
***  
  
"If these readings are correct, it should be just around the next corner," Tosh whispered as she followed Owen down the corridor, his weapon drawn as he checked around each doorway and corridor as they came to it. "The heat signature is getting warmer, too. Whatever's in there is running on maximum power."  
  
"Yeah, I think I can hear it." Owen checked the corridor at the end of the hall, noting it was clear and giving Tosh a nod. "Left or right?"  
  
"Left." She pocketed the PDA, drawing out her own weapon. "Should be the first door we come too."  
  
Owen nodded, beginning to move forward again. The low hum grew louder as they slinked along the passageway, Owen pausing next to the door. Tosh quickly shifted to the other side, gun at the ready. Owen gave a silent count of three on one hand before pushing the door open, he and Tosh covering the opening as they scanned the room.  
  
The heat washed over them, Tosh's eyes widening as she took in the computer consoles and equipment connected up to a set of generators in the back corner. She moved toward the main bank of screens even as Owen gave the room one last sweep, only joining her when he was sure the area was clear.  
  
"This is amazing," Tosh said, fingers flying across the keyboard. "He has access to every system in the world. He can control the CCTV outages remotely from here, has full scanning equipment to look for alien technology, can remotely monitor the Rift, and can control and program every single robot." She hit more keys, shaking her head. "He's got a better system than we do."  
  
"Doesn't surprise me." Owen frowned as he spotted a collection of medical equipment in the corner, moving over to inspect it. "The Torchwood systems are getting a bit old."  
  
"Ianto and I update them all the time," Tosh said, pressing more keys. "If I could get this all back to the Hub..."  
  
"Tosh, Sweetheart, it was a system designed by a criminal mastermind who probably knows every single back door into it," Owen reminded her. "It's bad enough he can track us without having complete access to our databases. Assuming, of course, he doesn't have access already."  
  
"Not that I can see." She frowned, opening a new window. "You have to remember Torchwood originally stole the system we use now."  
  
"Yeah, and if I recall for the first four months they had to keep upgrading the firewall because the old owners kept hacking in." Owen picked up a piece of equipment, frowning as he tried to decipher its purpose. "You'd be better off finding the blueprints and designing the system yourself. You could if you wanted too."  
  
"Like I have the time." Tosh frowned, leaning forward as she spotted something, her eyes widening. "Owen..."  
  
"Yeah?" Owen picked up another piece of medical equipment. "This is a flesh binding tool. It's got to be."  
  
"Owen..." Tosh swallowed hard. "According to this, there are five robots in here."  
  
"What?" Owen dropped the tool, crossing over to her side quickly and looking at the readout. "This has got to be wrong. There's nothing in here but us."  
  
"Just because you can't see it doesn’t mean it isn't there."  
  
They spun at the sound of the accented voice, spotting Bellic standing in the doorway. Tosh and Owen brought their weapons up in an instant, pointing them toward the other man that didn't even seem to notice them.  
  
"The heat from the generators interferes with heat sensors," he said, watching them calmly. "And I design my robots to blend into their surroundings. In fact, there's one at your feet."  
  
Tosh and Owen looked down sharply, Owen grabbing Tosh's arm and pulling her away from the computer consol as the box beneath the table began to unfold, metallic limbs extending from the box shaped robot as its LED lights glowed toward them. Tosh grabbed his shirt as other pieces of what they'd thought to be computer equipment began to metamorphous, it slowly dawning on them that they were surrounded and outgunned.  
  
Owen set his jaw as he shifted his gun from one robot to the next. "Shit."


	20. Chapter 20

"Rhys!"  
  
Even as Gwen screamed his name, Jack had grabbed Rhys by the back of the jacket and pulled him back out of the path of the robot as it crashed into the wall across from them. Gwen dove across to Rhys as they shifted into a corner of the room, another robot having appeared in the doorway to prevent their escape.  
  
"I told you it was a trap," Jack said.  
  
"Do you think?" Rhys said sarcastically.  
  
"Don't start, Rhys," Gwen hissed, looking toward her boss. "Jack, what do we do? He took our weapons."  
  
"Do you think I don't remember that?" Jack looked around for a weapon, finding nothing has the robot moved toward them again. "Just get behind me!"  
  
"Are you crazy!?" Gwen said.  
  
"You get killed, Jack, and we're next," Rhys reminded him. "You'll be waking up next to our bodies."  
  
"I won't let that happen," Jack said, grabbing them as they dived for the next corner, the robot once more slamming into a wall. "It's playing with us."  
  
"That bastard’s probably watching somewhere," Rhys said.  
  
"Probably."  
  
The robot moved forward again slowly, its LED glaring toward them in the half-light. It moved almost soundlessly, with only the slick sound of lubricated metal joints breaking the silence. Jack kicked out as it came within range, aiming the heel of his shoe at what appeared to be a small switch just to the left of its right forward shoulder joint and missing.  
  
The second robot inched into the room, the room now bathed in a eerie blue glow as a third robot appeared, blocking them into the corner with no room for escape. Jack placed himself in front of the others, Rhys grabbing Gwen by the arm and holding her back in against his side, half behind him as he glared down the metal manmade creatures.  
  
There was a clicking as the first robot began to metamorphous, its joints shifting as it began to rise to its full height, towering over the group as a blade slide out of a slot on the robots forward limb. Jack swallowed hard as it came forward, blade cutting through the air toward him.  
  
There was a bright, blinding blue electric flash, the three covering their eyes to protect them from the light. They heard a clatter of metal hitting the floor, and as they lowered their eyes they found the robots scattered around, LED lights dead or fading in their eyes.  
  
Gwen gasped as one lunged up again to continue the attack, a gunshot blast catching it in the back of its head and shattering the metal, spraying them in fragments. They looked up toward the doorway, finally spotting Ianto as he glared across at them, lowering the rifle slowly.  
  
"Oh thank god," Gwen breathed.  
  
"You're certainly a sight for sore eyes," Rhys agreed, relaxing.  
  
Ianto didn't noticed them, continuing to glare at Jack who straightened, brushing the metal fragments from his shirt as faint traces of anger crossed his face.  
  
"You were supposed to stay at home," Jack hissed.  
  
" _You_ were supposed to call me," Ianto shot back. "That was our agreement, Jack."  
  
"I was busy," Jack said, stepping away from the wall.  
  
"It's been over 24 hours," Ianto said, watching him. "You and John were supposed to call me every few hours to keep me updated."  
  
"Like I said, I was busy." Jack moved to stop directly in front of him. "All you're going to do, Ianto, is tear the stiches on your shoulder open. Not to mention the effects of the poison take at least a week to work out of your system. You're as white as a sheet."  
  
"Don't change the subject," Ianto hissed. "You don't call me, so I go to the Hub and what do I find? John in a coma, the SUV a write off, Rhys kidnapped, and you and Gwen walking willingly into an obvious trap."  
  
"If we'd waited any longer Rhys would have been killed," Jack countered.  
  
"If you'd waited longer Tosh would have been able to give you the weapons you needed to disable the robots," Ianto replied, reaching into his pocket and tossing a sphere at Jack who caught it. "EMP set to the frequency of the robots." He lofted his gun. "And bullets the right strength to penetrate the metal once the shielding has been knocked out." He narrowed his eyes. "Not to mention Tosh worked out that Bellic was tracking alien technology. I could have told you that."  
  
"Oh really." Jack crossed his arms over his chest, meeting Ianto's glare with his own. "How?"  
  
"Simple, really. Bellic located John's mansion so easily because John had worked 51st Century components into his security system. We have the same technology on the SUV. Also, from what we've observed and the information we have, Bellic doesn't use it himself making it easier for him to locate it. It was simply a matter of putting the pieces together."  
  
Jack scowled. "You have way too much time on your hands."  
  
"Blame Bellic." Ianto glanced quickly at Gwen over Jack's shoulder and back again. "That still doesn't explain why you were so willing to allow yourselves to be captured."  
  
"We thought we had the element of surprise," Gwen said softly.  
  
"He kidnapped me," Rhys pointed out. "He set things up so you'd come after me, Gwen."  
  
"Exactly." Ianto looked at Gwen. "You were controlled by your grief in losing Rhys and wanting him back," he looked at Jack, "and you by your rage because of what happened to me and John."  
  
Jack set his jaw. ""Nobody harms you and gets away with it."  
  
"Putting yourself in danger doesn't make me feel better, Jack." Ianto's glare hardened. "Have you ever stopped to think how much I hate seeing you in danger? What I'd do to make sure you're safe?"  
  
"I can't die," Jack reminded him.  
  
"Which means they can torture you for eternity, which is worse." Ianto shook his head. "I refuse to let that happen."  
  
Jack's expression softened. "Ianto..."  
  
"Stop sacrificing yourself all the time. One day you might not come back. Then what happens to us? Explain that to me, Jack."  
  
Jack reached up to cup Ianto's face, only Ianto flinched away from his touch. Jack sighed, dropping his hand. "I'm sorry."  
  
A silence descended upon the room, Rhys frowning as Gwen's eyes darted from one to the other, obviously sensing this was another old fight. Ianto continued to glare as Jack explored his expression with his eyes, looking for some way to calm Ianto down.  
  
The sound of distant gunshot caught their attention, Jack looking sharply at Ianto. "Tosh and Owen?"  
  
"Went after Bellic's workstation," Ianto said.  
  
"Talk about walking into a trap," Gwen said, rushing past them. "Bellic's still out there!"


	21. Chapter 21

"Now," Bellic said, smiling across at them passively. "Why don't you lower your weapons. Surrender. You're outnumbered, and I'm sure you really don't want to die yet."  
  
Owen snorted. "You really think we'd let you win?"  
  
"I already have. However," his gaze swept toward Tosh, the single LED light boring into her almost as much as his real eye. "I am still happy to bargain. You're interested in my technology. I can give it to you, provided you leave me in peace until I've completed my mission."  
  
"We can't let you do that," Owen said, keeping his gun trained on Bellic. "We want the others back."  
  
"You automatically think my mission is about them." Bellic snorted, moving over to the main controls and hitting a key, bringing up a map of Cardiff. "No, they're just a blimp on my radar. I needed them out of the way so I can finish my main mission."  
  
"You mean you weren't here for Jack and John?"  
  
"Happy coincidence." Bellic looked back at her. "I've been meaning to take care of them for a long time. They left me rotting in that cell, all my intelligence going to waste simply because they could not understand the brilliance of my genius. I could cleanse this universe of all those who have ever wronged me so they can never wrong anyone else."  
  
"Oh god, you _are_ a monologuer," Owen muttered.  
  
"All I need is to be left alone to complete my plan, but I knew Torchwood would never allow that. Especially with Captain Jack Harkness at the helm." He spat out Jack's name, his contempt evident in his voice. "Provided they stay where they are and don't try to escape, I may let your friends go in one piece. But that depends entirely on you turning and walking away from here."  
  
"What's your offer?" Tosh asked.  
  
Owen shot her a look. "Tosh!"  
  
"We might as well hear it," she said.  
  
"I can give you my computer system," Bellic said, moving toward her, hands by his side to appear non-threatening. "Everything you see before you, and some components I have scattered around other rooms. You will have access to any single network in the world at the touch of a button, the hacking tools already built into the system. What normally takes you an hour you can do in five seconds."  
  
"That's impossible," Tosh said, shaking her head in wonder as she considered the possibilities.  
  
"Not impossible." He levelled his gaze completely on her. "Your 21st Century technology is capable; it's just a matter of configuring it right. Admittedly it's a lot harder to use than the technology of my time, but it still has the capabilities." He looked up at Owen. "I can also throw in that medical equipment you were so interested in. Again, just 21st Century technology with a twist. You can close wounds without stiches, take x-rays without needing an oversized machine, plus all the technical specifications you need to build fully functioning mechanical limb that is bound completely to the remaining nervous system."  
  
Owen lowered his gun, glancing back at the collection of medical equipment, the temptation clear on his face before he turned back to Bellic, the hard look back on his face. "No deal. Tosh!"  
  
Tosh let the sphere from her pocket drop and roll to the side, an electric blue shockwave sweeping the room and temporarily blinding them. When it faded Owen grabbed his rifle, bringing it up and picking off any robot that began to move toward them.  
  
Tosh threw a second EMP out the door as she spotted more LED lights coming quickly toward them from the hall, and with an element of regret she rolled another under the computer system. They discharged, she and Owen blinded briefly again and Tosh opened her eyes to see the computer screens dead.  
  
She and Owen made short work of the robots now that their shielding was gone, aiming for the eyes as their heads exploded in a shower of sparks and computer components. A rush swept through them as they moved, Tosh sending yet another EMP into the hall as more robots appeared.  
  
Owen let out a cry as something grabbed him from behind, wrapping around his throat and cutting off his air supply. He scrabbled for it with his free hand, finding an arm but stopped as a blade appeared, pressing against his face just hard enough to cut the surface.  
  
"I think that's enough, don't you?" Bellic hissed. "Now drop your weapon."  
  
Owen let the rifle drop, eyes darting up toward Tosh as she spotted what was happening. Her eyes widened in horror as the blood drained from her face, the barrel of her own rifle lowering as she stared.  
  
"I gave you a perfectly reasonable offer," Bellic hissed. "More than I've ever offered anyone before because I respect you and this is the thanks you give me? You have destroyed months of hard work, and I'm not going to let you walk away from that." He paused, seeming to consider something before smirking. "No, I think I will." He shot Tosh a look. "But first I'm going to make you watch your boyfriend die."  
  
"Get out of here, Tosh," Owen managed through clenched teeth. "Go!"  
  
"Not without you," she replied, eyeing Bellic. "Your LED eye’s out."  
  
Bellic narrowed his single remaining eye. "Minor technical difficulty. Loose wire. Happens a lot."  
  
"I think you were affected by the EMP blast," Tosh continued. "Parts of your mechanical body run on the same wavelength as the robots."  
  
"Now you're stretching," he said. "To do so would risk signal interference. I'm not that stupid."  
  
"By running on the same wavelength you can connect to them remotely and the computer without needing to be here," Tosh continued. "Which means, your shields are down."  
  
Bellic snorted, pressing the knife harder against Owen's cheek as he tightened his grip around his throat. "Are you really prepared to go with a guess?"  
  
"I'm not guessing," Tosh said simply, bringing her rifle up.  
  
Bellic stepped back from Owen, bringing his knife around into his side just as Tosh pulled the trigger, the bullet catching Bellic in his natural eye. Owen and Bellic hit the ground at the same time, Bellic not to get up again if the missing half of his head were anything to go by.  
  
Tosh dropped her gun, racing to Owen's side as he was pushing himself up, one hand over his wound. He looked up at her, giving her a reassuring smile through the pain. "I'm fine, I'm fine. He missed anything vital. Flesh wound."  
  
They looked up at the sound of running feet, Jack bursting into the room followed closely by the others. Jack took in the situation, a frown dancing across his features as he spotted Bellic, quickly moving to drop by his side and run a scan over him.  
  
"About time you bloody lot showed up," Owen said, glancing around them. "And Jack, I think you can safely say he's dead."  
  
"He's a sneaky bastard, so it can't hurt to make sure," Jack said, consulting his readings and snapping his wrist strap shut. "You're right though, he's gone. I still want to take him back to the Hub and incinerate him though."  
  
"You really hate him that much?" Rhys asked.  
  
"No, not hate," Jack said, looking up at him. "Just making sure he won't come back again."  
  
"Are you all right?" Ianto asked, kneeling beside Owen.  
  
"I'm fine, really." Owen accepted the help up, Tosh never leaving his side. "Tosh took him out before he could really have a go at me. Good thing she's got fast reflexes."  
  
"Well I wasn't about to let him kill you," Tosh said, smiling up at him. "Took me long enough to convince you to go on a date, so I'm not letting you get away that easy."  
  
Rhys laughed. "Sound like she's got you good there, mate."  
  
"Could be worse," Owen said with a wink, wiggling the bare fingers on his left hand.  
  
"Yeah, tell me about it."  
  
"Jack," Gwen said, watching the other. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I be," Jack stood, brushing himself off and taking in the room. "Bellic's dead. I don't really care who did it, just so long as it was done."  
  
"He can't hurt anyone else," Ianto said softly.  
  
"Exactly." Jack's gaze hardened as it landed on Ianto. "And you’re going straight back to bed."  
  
Ianto rolled his eyes. "I am not made of glass, Jack, and I'm not going anywhere until you explain to me exactly what happened."  
  
"What's to explain?"  
  
Ianto glared at him. "A lot."  
  
"I swear, you two spend more time fighting these days than they do," Owen said, nodding toward Gwen and Rhys. "You'd think you two were the married couple."  
  
"Certainly sounds like it," Tosh giggled.  
  
Jack and Ianto glared at them.  
  
"So," Rhys said, breaking the moment. "We're sure all the robots are dead then?"  
  
"Probably not," Jack looked at the computer system. "But they will probably go into hibernation since their controller went offline."  
  
"I should be able to track them from the Hub," Tosh said. "It is a shame about the computer though."  
  
"We should be able to scavenge bits from it," Ianto said, looking back at her. "Some components may have only been knocked offline by the EMP, although the hard drives were most likely wiped."  
  
"The basic system will be enough."  
  
"Oi. Man bleeding to death here." Owen began to move toward the doorway, brushing off Ianto's help. "Let's get out of here already."  
  
"You go ahead," Jack said, looking around. "I'm going to stay and make sure everything’s shut down and Bellic hasn't left any more nasty surprises." He shot Ianto a look. "Going to help?"  
  
"Need you ask?" Ianto raised a brow. "I'm not letting you out of my sight, Captain."  
  
Jack smiled. "Good. Saves me the trouble of trying to keep you in mine."  
  
"God, I swear I can't keep up with you two sometimes," Owen muttered.  
  
"Better get used to it, mate," Rhys said, laughing.  
  
"Oh yes," Gwen smiled as she hooked her arm through Rhys'. "It's all part of it. Just you wait. But right now someone needs to go to the hospital to make sure he hasn't got a head injury."  
  
"Gwen, I'm fine," Rhys said.  
  
"I just want to be sure."  
  
"You worry too much, you know that?" Rhys shook his head, allowing her to lead him toward the door. "If anyone needs to worried about its you and your walking into obvious traps all the time."  
  
Gwen set her jaw as a warning glinted in her eye. "Rhys..."


	22. Chapter 22

It was pleasantly warm. That was the first thing he noticed. Warm, and dark. Also, there was a soft beeping to the side of him, and his body felt still. Not to mention he was pretty sure he was naked. That was nothing unusual, it's just that he preferred waking up remembering exactly why he was naked.  
  
He opened his eyes, wincing at harsh light although he noted that they seemed to be slightly dimmed. He was definitely in some sort of medical room given how bland everything was and the curtain railing surrounding where he lay. 21st Century features, although that machine to the right there was a bit out of place... oh yes. Torchwood. That explained it.  
  
An image flashed through his mind. Twin glowing LED lights moving quickly toward him in the dark. A robot of no particular make or model, custom designed for a specific purpose. Then a face flashed before his eyes. Bellic. Bloody Roberto Bellic.  
  
He made to sit up only to find this left arm wouldn't respond, and glancing down he found it strapped tightly to his chest. He frowned, assessing his other injuries and noting his left leg was bound. There were also cuts and fading bruises, and his chest felt tight.  
  
"Oh look who decided to come back and join us." He glanced around, spotting Jack lounging back in a seat, a clipboard filled with papers on his lap as he twirled a pen between his fingers. "You all there?"  
  
"What do you mean 'am I all there'? Of course I bloody well am."  
  
"Good, because...."   
  
Jack nodded to the left of him, John turning his head and spotting the medical instrument resting on a trolley, switched off for now. He recognised it instantly, his eyes widening as he shot a look back toward Jack. "Brain damage?"  
  
"You were dead for quite a while." Jack sat the pen and clipboard on a side table, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. "That came through the Rift a little while ago, and we hadn't had a chance to test it out yet. I guess now we know it works."  
  
John glared at him. "I was a guinea pig."  
  
"Well, we could have left you as you were," Jack reminded him.  
  
"I'd rather not be some drooling mess, thank you." John tried again to sit up unsuccessfully, Jack moving to adjust the bed settings so that he could. "Shouldn't you be out hunting Bellic?"  
  
"Bellic's dead." Jack opened up a small fridge and retrieved some ice chips, dropping them into a glass and handing them to John. "Within 24 hours of him attacking us. We've just been searching out the last of his robots and taking them offline permanently."  
  
John frowned, sucking on a piece of ice. "When was this?"  
  
"Two weeks ago." Jack nodded toward him. "You shattered your left arm and leg, and broke a rib. Owen recovered a device from Bellic that can repair them, but it was damaged in the attack so it only works at quarter of the speed that it should. He thinks one more week and you should be fine."  
  
John frowned. "So what killed me? Poison? Blow to the head?"  
  
"You choked on your own blood."  
  
"Oh. Charming." John sighed, resting his head back against a pillow. "So no permanent injuries then."  
  
"Just a few new scars," Jack said, reaching up to smooth down John's bed hair. "More for you to brag about, anyway."  
  
John chuckled. "So I guess I'm stuck here then."  
  
"At least for another week." Jack pressed a kiss to John's forehead, smirking as John reached up with his good hand to grab the front of his shirt and drag him back for a longer kiss. Jack pulled back first, reaching up to tug John's fingers from his shirt but not letting go of his hand. "Owen wants to run a few more tests on you. Make sure everything is in full working order before he lets you go."  
  
"Well, I think I might need you and Eye Candy's help with one thing," John said with a smirk, only for it to fade. "Speaking of which, where is..."  
  
"Around." Jack glanced toward the door of the room. "He's been lurking. We've been taking it in turns watching over you."  
  
"Oh." John raised his eyebrows. "Just watching or...."  
  
Jack gave him a warning look, amusement sparkling in his eyes.  
  
"Oh, he's finally back in the land of the living, is he?" They looked up as Ianto entered the room, blue eyes sparkling in the low light. "I was just starting to think we were going to be stuck with you forever."  
  
"Who says you're not," John replied.  
  
Jack looked at him. "Meaning..."  
  
"Well, despite it being so bloody cold and boring, Cardiff does have its upsides." He flicked his gaze from Jack to Ianto and back, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Unless, of course, you want me to go."  
  
"I have no issue with you staying," Ianto said, claiming the chair Jack had vacated and glancing over the paperwork, picking one up and giving Jack a disapproving look as he pointed to scribble in the margins.  
  
Jack shrugged it off with a sheepish look, looking back down at John. "We were planning on asking you to stick around."  
  
"No obligations of course," Ianto continued.  
  
"Although there are a few rules."  
  
John blinked. "What kind of rules?"  
  
"We'll explain later." Jack patted his hand, resting it back on the bed and taking the clipboard from Ianto and stealing a quick kiss, then shooing him from the chair and toward the door to go back to work. He looked back at John. "You just get some rest. You're going to need it later."  
  
John chuckled. "Oh, we'll see who'll be needing it."  
  
  
 **END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking your time to read the trilogy. I do hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
